I wasn't satisfied with previous photos of it and I also thought this one was interesting enough for a re-introduction. Its easily in the best condition out of my Ostrogothic coins (along with my second Ravenna monogram coin). This half-follis was struck during King Theodoric the Great's reign over Italy, which began in 493 AD. The use of an exclusively Roman legend, the wolf and twins (along with other Ostrogothic coinage utilizing Roman themes and imagery), by the new, foreign masters of Italia was part of Theodoric's policy to court the Roman population now under his care after his conquest, most of all the Senate of Rome (still existing at this point), to accept barbarian rule over the heart of the former Western Roman Empire that he now possessed. This would also serve to legitimize and gain for Theodoric continued acceptance of his rule by the Roman emperor in Constantinople, who was technically his (more powerful) boss (Theodoric was ordered to invade Italia by the Eastern emperor, and afterwards agreed to rule it as his representative, but he was basically an independent ruler in practice). To achieve these important goals, Theodoric also made the Roman Senate important again by returning to it the powers and authority it had lost in the previous centuries. He also kept Roman officials in charge of running the government of Italia as in the days of the empire and Odoacer's rule, while defense was provided by the Goths. Romans were also allowed to continue to be governed by their own laws, separate from the Goths and their laws. Theodoric was not ignorant of the Romans and their ways and customs; in his youth, he had been sent to Constantinople as a hostage by his father, and had learned much about them and how they ruled. He highly valued Roman culture and tried to protect it. Neither were his people unwashed, fur-wearing savages; by this point in time the Ostrogoths were a Christianized and Romanized Germanic group. Theodoric sought to be seen as a new Augustus or Hadrian by the people in his kingdom. He was a ruler tolerant of all of his subjects, no matter what religion they were or what group they belonged to, and a uniter of peoples, bringing the Roman and the barbarian together to rule and live in peace. Life in Italia under Theodoric continued in much the same way as it did before, but the land and its people were more happy and prosperous than it had been in a long time. Italia had entered a final golden age, a beacon of light in the enveloping Dark Ages, which died along with Theodoric in 526 AD. After his death, the kingdom he established would suffer from poor rule and the ravages of war, until breathing its last in 552 AD. Municipal Coinage of Rome, Ostrogothic Kingdom AE Half-Follis (20 nummi) Obv: IMVIC-TA ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right Rev: She-wolf standing left, suckling Romulus and Remus, two stars above, XX in ex Mint: Rome Ref: BMC 30
I can imagine someone having a lot of uncleaned coins, finds that coin and tosses it aside as a common Roma city commemorative. Then you find out, WOW, it's a Municipal Coinage of Rome, Ostrogothic Kingdom. I'm pretty sure I haven't seen this one before. Nice coin and find.
Thanks gil. Not sure if anyone would confuse this one with a Roma city commemorative though, pretty much because of its size, unless they were really not paying attention. I forgot to mention its size (my bad), but my Imvicta Roma half-follis is 24 mm at its widest, larger than the Roma city commems.
I also happen to have another of this type, except this one is the 40 nummi follis denomination and its as wide as my above coin, except its a bit thicker. Not in as good as shape but, I still like it !
I just noticed my not-so-recent thread here got featured (thanks Peter!) so I figure I'd add a map this time around. It's of the Ostrogothic Kingdom and the rest of Europe and North Africa at the time of Theodoric's death in 526. The names are in Italian but I don't think it would be very difficult to distinguish some of the groups
