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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Voulgaroktonou, post: 8231930, member: 84047&quot;]As far as the coinage of Anastasius I goes, there is indeed no break in continuity with the coinage of the previous century – insofar as the gold and silver goes. The solidus and its fractions continued to be issued, and the silver continued to be struck, but in the reduced rate as had obtained for much of the 5th century (as opposed to the large numbers of siliquae struck in the 4th century). But in order to appreciate the innovation of Anastasius and his successors, one must look at the base metal coinage of the 5th century. Apart from the sporadic “AE 2” coinage struck under Theodosius II onwards in Constantinople, but intended for Cherson, the small change of the 5th century consisted of tiny coins often under 10 mm. in diameter and weighing less than a gram. These are referred to as “nummi”, AE 4s, or as we Classics graduate students in the 1970s called them, “flattened BBs”. They are often too small to have any obverse inscription, and usually must be attributed by the imperial monogram on the reverse. Typical examples of these are the first 5 coins below, all of Zeno. (The first coin has an unusual thickness of ca. 4 mm. The last coin on the lower right, also of Zeno, has a figural reverse, but I will not discuss it here.)</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1447298[/ATTACH]</p><p>As is well known, the Anastasian currency reform developed in two stages. The first, in 498, consisted in the issuance of multiples of the nummus, denominations of 40, 20, and 10 nummi. Then in 512, the weights were doubled, and at the same time, a further multiple, the pentanummium of 5 nummi was introduced. The striking of the tiny nummi continued. In addition to their much heavier weight and size, the distinguishing feature of the reform coins is the reverse type, consisting of a Greek letter corresponding to the appropriate denomination. M = 40; K = 20; I = 10; ε = 5. This innovation, although subject to a gradual reduction of weight, continued through the 6th c., although the 7th c. witnessed the extreme decline of weight of the follis, with a gradual corresponding disappearance of the smaller denominations. By the reign of Theophilos, 829-42, the nummus had long ceased to be struck, the concept of a 40 nummus coin was meaningless, and the mark of value was replaced by an inscription in several lines.</p><p>Below are some examples of the various denominations as established by Anastasius. The first row reflects the initial, lighter reform of 498-512, and the second row, the corresponding denominations of the second reform of 512-518. The obverse images are on the left, while the reverses are on the right. All are from the mint of Constantinople, although the other mints followed the same development. The coins are, from left to right:</p><p><br /></p><p>First row. Initial, lighter reform of 498-512.</p><p><br /></p><p>Follis. 8.50 gr. 26 mm. Hr. 6. Sear 14; Hahn 22; DO 16; BNP 11-12.</p><p>Half follis. 3.76 gr. 20 mm. Hr. 6. Sear 24; Hahn 32; DO 21b; BNP 37.</p><p>Quarter follis (decanummium). 1.51 gr. 16 mm. Hr. 12. Sear 26; Hahn 34a; DO 19; BNP 44-50.</p><p>Nummus. 0.79 gr. 7 mm. Hr. 12. Sear 13; Hahn 40; DO 15; BNP 1-10.</p><p><br /></p><p>Second row. Subsequent (heavier) reform of 512-518.</p><p><br /></p><p>Follis. 18.17 gr. 36 mm. Hr. 6. Sear 19; Hahn 27; DO 23d, e; BNP 69-75.</p><p>Half follis. 9.07 gr. 31 mm. Hr. 6. Sear 25 (this coin); Hahn 33; DO 24d; BNP 14.</p><p>Quarter follis (decanummium). 4.16 gr. 22 mm. Hr. 6. Sear 28; Hahn 36; DO -; BNP –</p><p>Eighth follis (pentanummium). 1.90 gr. 16 mm. Hr. 7. Sear 29; Hahn 39; DO 26d; BNP 92.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1447314[/ATTACH]</p><p>Imagine the effect his reformed coinage would have had upon a populace used to those tiny nummi that would have had to circulate in bags![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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