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 Replies: 28 / Views: 4,671 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
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 the 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 a 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  Edited by VisigothKing
08/29/2014 10:26 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
Nice reshoot! The oblique lighting really helps bring out the devices.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4778 Posts |
Thanks TIF  |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Nice looking coin. I am always amazed at the expert knowledge that you have about these obscure rulers. You should think about writing a reference book about them. I know I would buy it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Quote:
You should think about writing a reference book about them. I know I would buy it. Thanks for your kind words Ron. I won't tackle writing a book for now (I know a good amount but I don't believe I know enough for a whole book, plus I need to focus on my career first), but I wouldn't mind writing an article about these for a coin magazine or something. |
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
The Celator would have been a good place for it, it's too bad that they went out of business. I don't know of any other ancient coin mags. You might want to contact Warren Esty to see where you could post an online article.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
I'll keep in mind for when I do want to publish something, thanks Ron.
BTW , the ancients forum seems kinda slow lately... thought there would be more response to this.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts |
It is a fascinating coin for what is says about the times. While we see the period as distinctly 'post Roman' the people living in Rome hardly noticed any change. The emperors had long since abandoned the ancient city and whether he was in Constantinople rather than Ravenna hardly mattered. He might as well have been on the moon. I remember a professor asking our class "what happened when the last emperor was deposed". We really had no good answer for it.
His response was "nobody really noticed"
The garbage still got collected and the pot holes got filled
Of course the fact that the tax man didn't come around as often anymore was a big plus too !
Having an emperor was a luxury that they simply decided they could do without.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
It has been slow. I haven't been able to buy any coins for quite awhile now so I really haven't been adding too much lately. We have gotten several new members and a lot of ID questions which has helped keep the flow going a bit.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
I have dozens of coins from the last few months which have not been posted. I'll try to get some writeups ready to roll this weekend :) VK-- I wonder if Coin World might be interested in an article or two. While like most coin mags they are US-heavy, they do have articles on ancients. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Tif "I have dozens of coins from the last few months which have not been posted. I'll try to get some writeups ready to roll this weekend :)"
Thanks for the heads up, I'll get more tissues in.....
VK Fabulous photo, I love the write up. I am not at all familiar with this period and it is really interesting reading.
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
interesting information, good photo!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Quote:
It is a fascinating coin for what is says about the times. While we see the period as distinctly 'post Roman' the people living in Rome hardly noticed any change. The emperors had long since abandoned the ancient city and whether he was in Constantinople rather than Ravenna hardly mattered. He might as well have been on the moon. I remember a professor asking our class "what happened when the last emperor was deposed". We really had no good answer for it.
His response was "nobody really noticed"
The garbage still got collected and the pot holes got filled
Of course the fact that the tax man didn't come around as often anymore was a big plus too !
Having an emperor was a luxury that they simply decided they could do without. All true. The "fall" of Rome in the 5th cent AD was not marked by any sudden, massive upheaval in society and life. The Western empire was being broken apart piecemeal over those decades but for the average person on the street, barely any change was felt. It was basically a case of "meet your new boss, same as (or better)than the old" (although life got harder at times for the Romans in the Vandal Kingdom). For Italy, the rise of barbarians to the throne only made official the state of things in the last two and a half decades of the Western empire, when barbarian Master of Soldiers of the Western Roman army (almost totally made up of barbarians at this point) such as Ricimer became the real power behind the imperial throne. Quote:VK-- I wonder if Coin World might be interested in an article or two. While like most coin mags they are US-heavy, they do have articles on ancients. Perhaps I'll try to have something published with them in the future. At the very least I'll remind people that coins exist that are more than 200 years old. Thanks all for your comments. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
I love how the classic Commemorative type of the early 4th century was reconstrucked rather than just revaluing a beat coin. Its always a real pleasure to see some definitely Germanic coins of Italian manufactue. Such a high value and great condition piece is hard to come by. As for the write up. It brings the piece
and increases the realism 1000 fold.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
that coin deserves some fruit...     great write up VK, I think FR has a good idea. you've got an very interesting coin niche that you've become the master of...I'd love to see some articles on them. do you have your own site yet for your 6th century and similar coins ? you should if not! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Thanks for the additional comments! Quote:
I love how the classic Commemorative type of the early 4th century was reconstrucked rather than just revaluing a beat coin. They actually did the revaluing thing as well. The Ostrogoths got old large bronzes from the first century (I've mostly seen Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian used) and carved XLII on the obverses to indicate their new value as 42 nummi coins. They are very rare (not impossible to obtain though) and I hope to acquire one of these someday. Edited by VisigothKing
09/01/2014 5:41 pm
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Replies: 28 / Views: 4,671 |
Posted 08/29/2014 10:33 am
