Visigothic Coinage

And other late antique coinage relevant to Menorca.

Session 7, 2010: Tom Eisenstadt

The Post-roman coinage system

• The 5th century Germanic conquerors of the Western Mediterranean issued their own gold and silver coins, usually in the style of the Eastern Roman Empire or late Western issues, and these, as well as surviving Roman examples, served as the main units of currency transaction used by the Germanic kingdoms.

• Only the Vandal kingdom in North Africa and the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy produced copper coins as standard. While insignificant in comparison to the number of 4 th century Roman issues that stayed in circulation, these nevertheless were produced in large numbers, and served as the inspiration for a major reform of Eastern copper coinage in later years.

• The regular issuing of copper coins had elsewhere already ceased in the West during the 5 th century. The only exceptions known at present are two local copper coinages, both likely from the 6th century AD, one in the Frankish port of Massilia (Marseille) and the other one minted in the area around Seville in Visigothic Spain.

• These, however, disappeared by the 7th century AD, and the only new copper coins found in the West were those minted in areas held by the Eastern Roman Empire.

Late Roman and Pseudo-Imperial coinage values.

• The Visigoth and Vandal kingdoms maintained the coinage system inherited from the late Roman Empire, and gold and silver coins, when rarely issued, were issued in the same denomination as contemporary Eastern Roman or surviving West Roman coins.

• Copper denominations were rarely issued in the western Mediterranean after the 5 th Century AD, and these followed the traditional Roman values more loosely.

Late Empire Coin ValuesLate Empire Coin Values

Solidus Miliarense Siliqua Follis Nummus

Solidus 1 12 24 180 7200

Miliarense 1/12 1 2 15 600

Siliqua 1/24 1/2 1 7  1/2 300

Follis 1/180 1/15 2/15 1 40

Nummus 1/7200 1/600 1/300 1/40 1

Visigothic Coins

• The most common coins minted by the Visigoths were the solidus and the tremissis (worth a third of a solidus), which were both originally minted in gold, and were effectively the same as their Roman counterparts, with the exception of the tremissis being found in silver.

• An equivalent of the copper nummus was also produced around Seville and in some areas Western Roman examples remained in circulation or new coins came from the east.

• The first Visigothic coins were minted in Southern Gaul, were the Visigoths settled at the beginning of 5th century AD, but minting was transferred to Hispania in the 6 th century AD as the Visigoths were pushed south by the Franks.

• The first coins, usually called pseudo-imperial, imitated those circulating in the western part of the Roman Empire and, later, those issued in the eastern part, reproducing the names of Roman emperors.

• However, from the year 580 AD onwards, the Visigoths began to strike entirely independent coins, in the name of their own kings. The issue of coins ended in the second decade of the 8th century AD with the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula and the destruction of the Visigothic kingdom.

Visigothic gold solidus In the name of Libius Severus (Western Roman emperor), 461-466 AD. Most likely produced in southern Gaul between 461-507 AD.Weight: 4.23 g. Obverse (left): DNIIBIVSSEVE – RVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust. Reverse (right): VICTORI – A AVGGG Emperor standing facing, spurning serpent with l. foot, holding long jewelled cross and Victory on globe; in field.

A silver tremissis of Chindasuinth (reigned 642-653 AD).Weight: 1.56 g.Minted at Hispalis (Seville).Obverse (left): +CN•SVINLVS PX, facing bust.Reverse (right): +ISPLLIS PIVS, facing bust.

Visigothic bronze nummus, produced around 650 AD.Size: 9 mm. Minted at Emerita, Lusitania. Obverse (left): diademed and draped bust right. Reverse (right): monogram.

Comparative Vandal nummus of King Hilderic (reigned 523-530 AD)Minted at Carthage, Size: 8mm.Obverse (left): diademed head right, [HILD]IRIX. Reverse (right): cross in wreath.