|
|
|
Eugenius (Augustus)
Usurper 392-392 AD
|
|
|

 |
|
Honorius (Western Emperor)
395-423AD
Honorius AE4. Antioch mint, 406-408 AD. (14mm)
OBVS: DN HONORIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed,
draped bust right /
REV: GLORIA ROMANORVM, three emperors
standing side by side holding spears, outermost ones rest hands on
shields, the middle one holds an orb,
[ANTA] in ex.
RIC 153 (nice detailed bust and reverse, with
nearly full obverse inscription, and partial one on the reverse).
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) | |
|

 |
|
Arcadius (eastern Emperor)
395-408AD
Obverse: D N ARCADI-VS P F AVG, pearl diademed,
draped, cuirassed bust right.
Reverse: VIRTVS-EXERCITI, emperor standing
left, head right, holding spear and resting left hand on shield.
Victory, standing beside him crowns him with a wreath held in her
right hand.
Mintmark ALEB. (Alexandria)
Amazing reverse detail, which is unusual for this
late period coin. The die maker was extremely talented,
something that faded in later years.
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|
|
|
|
Theodosius II (Eastern
Emperor)
408-450 AD (theodosian
code & walls around Constantinople) |
|
|
 |
|
FLAVIUS
AETIUS 396-454 AD
"The last
true Roman" (a short bio)
Flavius Aetius or simply
Aetius, was a Roman general of the closing period of the Western
Roman Empire. Scholars often have called him "the man
universally celebrated as the terror of Barbarians" for this
continued victories over the barbarian invasions of that period and
especially against Attila the Hun at the Battle of Chalons (451 AD).
This battle although considered a stalemate was the first battle
that put a stop to Attila's rampage through Europe. Attilla
would never severely challenge the borders again and within 2 years
was himself dead.
In 423 AD Aetius supported
the new emperor Johannes who was praised for his mildness,
intelligence, and general ability. Unlike the Theodosian emperors,
he tolerated all Christian sects. Aetius however arrived 3
days late (with a Hun army) to save Johannes who had been betrayed
in Ravenna and killed by the army that Theodosius II (Eastern
Emperor) had sent. Valentinian III was then appointed emperor by
Theodosius I. Valentinians 25+ year rule was considered
incompetent and did nothing to save Rome from the barbarians.
The final blow came in 454 AD when Valentinian III assassinated Aetius
in Rome.
Sidonius Apollinaris is
credited with the famous observation,
"I am ignorant, sir, of your
motives or provocations; I only know that you have acted like a man
who has cut off his right hand with his left"
Rome would never recover and
in within the next 25 years the barbarians would crush the last
emperor, ending a thousand year empire in Europe. | |
|
 |
|
Johannes (Augustus)
Usurper 423-425 AD
AE4 (11mm)
OBVS: DNIOHANNESPFAVG - Diademed, draped
and cuirassed bust right. With distinctive beard
of Johannes.
REV: VICTORIAAVGG - Victory advancing
left, holding wreath and palm. Exergue: RM
& E (epsilon) in left field
Mint: Rome
References: RIC 1910
(very rare)
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|
|

 |
|
Johannes (Augustus)
Usurper 423-425 AD
AE4 (10mm)
OBVS: DNIOHANNESPFAVG - Pearl-diademed,
draped & cuirassed bust right /
REV: VICTORIAAVGG -
Victory advancing left, holding trophy over shoulder & dragging
captive; Christogram in left field; T in left field.
Mint: Rome
References: RIC 1916
(very rare, even in this worn state)
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|
|

 |
|
Valentinian III (Western Emperor)
425-452 AD
AE4 (11mm), 425-c.435, First Period, V4/V5
obverse, Rome, Officina 2
OBVS: D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG
Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
REV: SALVS [REI]_PVBLICE - Victory advancing
left, wreath upward in right hand, palm in left S in left
field
RM in exergue
References: RIC X, 2108 (S)
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) | |
|

 |
|
Valentinian III (Western Emperor)
425-452 AD
AE4 (11mm), 425-c.435, First Period, V4/V5
obverse, Rome, Officina 2
OBVS: D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG
Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
REV: SALVS [REI]_PVBLICE - Victory advancing
left, wreath upward in right hand, palm in left S in left
field
RM in exergue
References: RIC X, 2108 (S)
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|
|

 |
|
Marcian (Eastern Emperor)
450-457 AD
Marcian AE4. Constantinople mint. (10mm)
OBVS: D N MARCIANVS P F AVG, diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right
REV: Monogram of Marcian in wreath, + above, S below, CON in ex.
References: RIC 545 (rare in this state with nearly a full
inscription on the obverse, full wreath and partial mint visible)
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|
|

 |
|
Marcian (Eastern Emperor)
450-457 AD
AE4. Constantinople mint. (11mm)
OBVS: D N MARCIANVS P F AVG, diademed,
draped & cuirassed bust right
REV: Monogram of Marcian in wreath, + above, S below, CON in ex.
References: RIC 546 more common condition, found in batch of
coins.
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) | |
|

 |
|
Zeno (Emperor whole empire until 476 AD when
Odovacar took over)
474-491 AD
Nummus. Constantinople mint, second reign.
OBVS: Pearl-diademed, draped bust right
REV: Monogram
of Zeno.
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|
|
|
|
Leo I (Eastern Emperor)
457-474 AD
|
|
|

 |
|
Anastasius I (Eastern
Emperor)
491-518 AD AE4 Nummus.
Constantinople mint. OBVS: Diademed
bust right REV: Monogram of Anastasius
within linear circle. References: SEAR 13 &
DOC I 15.
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) | |
|

 |
|
Theodoric The Great (Ostrogoth Italian King)
493AD - 526 AD
(respected roman way of life/laws, and held a
strong relationship with eastern empire, under Justinian I)
Theodoric Information(click)
AE 10 Nummi
Struck circa 493-518 AD, Ravenna mint.
OBVS: Crowned and draped bust
of Ravenna right
REV: Monogram of Ravenna within wreath.
References: Metlich 78a; MIB I 72a (Municipal
Issue of Ravenna); MEC 1, 145
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|
|
 |
|
Gothic Wars 535 -554 AD
The Gothic War was a war fought in Italy and
the adjoining regions from 535 AD until 554 AD between the army of
the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine) and the tribes under the
control of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy (which began after
Odovacar deposed the last Western Emperor in 476 AD). It is commonly
divided in two phases, the first (535-540) which ended with the fall
of Ravenna and the apparent conquest of Italy by the Romans, and the
second phase (540/541-553), where the Gothic resistance was
reinvigorated under Totila (Baduila) and was surpressed only after a
long war by the General Narses, who also defeated the Frankish-Alamannic
invasion of 554 AD.
The war had its roots in the ambition of Roman
Emperor Justinian to recover the provinces of the former Western
Roman Empire, which had been lost to invading barbarian tribes
during the previous century. The long duration of the conflict
meant that in the end Italy was devastated and depopulated with the
Italian population dropping from 7 millions to 2.5 millions as a
consequence of war, famine and epidemics. The Eastern Empire's
resources were depleted and as such the East Romans were unable to
resist the invasion of the Lombards in 568, which led to the loss of
large parts of the Italian peninsula.
Read more
here
|
|
|

 |
|
Justinian I
Easter Roman Emperor
527-565 AD Pentanummium 13mm
Antioch mint. OBVS: Diademed, draped
and cuirassed bust right. REV: Monogram
number 2 of Justinian I
within linear circle. Justinian I began the re-conquest of large
parts of Africa and Italy that had previously been lost to the
Vandals and Ostrogoths. For a short period of time the Roman
Empire was nearly whole again.
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) | |
|


|
|
Last Ostrogothic King of
Italy Baduila
541 -552 AD
9mm
OBVS: Bust of Baduila facing right
REV: DN REX with line above DN and B underneath (not visible).
Surrounded by wreath.
(CLICK FOR LARGE PICTURES) |
|