Athalaric. The Teenage Ostrogoth King

Victor those are some great examples. I always wondered how the Western Empire would have evolved if it weren't for the Gothic War. I'm sure they would have been a lot better off.

I have these coins in my collection:


ATHALARIC 20 nummi (21-22 mm, 4.77 gm)
OBV: IMVICTA ROMA, helmeted bust of Roma to right
REV: Palm or fig tree between two eagles
EXE: dot XX dot Municipal Rome mint 526-534 A.D.


GEPIDS. Uncertain king. 454-552. AR Quarter Siliqua (16mm, 0.83 g, 6h). Imitating a Ravenna mint Quarter Siliqua of Theoderic in the name of Anastasius I. Sirmium mint.
Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Theoderic monogram.

Victor, after looking at your examples, that doesn't surprise me. Even though I know little about these types, I had my doubts on that one. It almost feels like it's made of tin. I paid next to nothing for it so it's worth the learning experience.

The more Goths the merrier...said nobody in Medieval times.


Baduila (also known as Totila) ruled the Ostrogoths from A.D. 541- 552. Despite being a great general and nearly recapturing all the territory lost to the Byzantine Empire during the Gothic War, his Empire only outlasted him by about 13 years. After his death, a series of defeats and reversals led to a loss of power for the Goths and their territory was taken over by the Lombards in A.D. 565.

The reverse legend of this coin is a bit ironic as FLOREAS SEMPER translates as "Always Grow"





Baduila (541-552)
Decanummium (16mm 5.1g). Rome
D N BADVILA REX. Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing.
FLOREAS SEMPER. King standing right with shield and spear.
Metlich 98b; MEC 162.

Witigis was a seasoned veteran of the Ostrogothic army and commander under King Theodoric. He was taken captive by the Byzantine general Belisarius and died in Constantinople in A.D. 342.



Witigis
A.D. 536- 539
Æ 10 Nummi (4.63g 15mm) Ravenna mint
INVICTA ROMA, helmeted bust of Roma right of fine style
D N/WIT/ICES/REX within wreath terminating in X.
Metlich 92

Amazing examples!

Very nice!

Fantastic!

I just got a coin that I have been waiting for years to get and it is the most Roman inspired coin produced by the Ostrogoths.



Theodahad
A.D. 534-536
AE Follis (40 nummi) (25mm 9.5g) Rome mint.
D N THEODA - HATVS REX; bust of Theodahad right wearing Spangenhelm and "ostrogothic" garment.
VICTORIA - PRINCIPV[M]; Victory standing on prow r., holding palm in left and wreath in right; across fields S- C.
MIB 81; MEC 141; COI 89b


On the obverse Theodahad looks very much like a Roman emperor and has a cross on his chest. The reverse is the very familiar Victory on a prow with S-C (SENATVS CONSVLTO) across the fields. Because of the S-C, this coin is often referred to as "the last sestertius"; though the Roman senate really had nothing to do with the issue.

here is a common Victory on prow coin issued during the reign of Constantine I



The reverse legend is a variation (spelling error) with PRINCIPV instead of PRICIPVM. The reverse legend of VICTORIA PRINCIPV (Victory of the Princes) is also very close to sounding like something a Roman would have on a coin, like the coin below with VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP legend which translates to Joyous victory of the eternal prince.



Constantine I
A.D. 318
AE nummus 18mm 2.9g
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG; high crested helmet, cuir., spear across r. shoulder, shield with horseman leaping over fallen enemy.
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding wreath inscribed VOT PR on altar.
in ex. BSIS star
RIC VII Siscia 50

Coins of Constantine I often depict him wearing a ridge helmet (see above coin); and a similar helmet was used later by Germanic kings. This Germanic helmet didn't have a plume or cheek flaps, but the type is still recognizable, especially the stars to the right and left of the cross-bar and was called a spangenhelm. As late as the seventh century, a helmet was used in place of a crown in the coronation of Egbert, a King of Kent who ruled from 664 to 673.