All posts by MartySalii

Eudoxia – Wife Arcadius

Aelia Eudoxia

395-404 AD

Empress of the East
Dominant wife of Arcadius


Aelia Eudoxia was the daughter of Bauto the Frank. She was married to Arcadius in 395 AD. She was the mother of Theodosius II. Eudoxia was perhaps the first dominant woman to rule the Roman Empire. Her husband was rather meek and as a result her influence over her husband was unquestionable. Between 400 and 404 AD, when she died, Eudoxia was the virtual ruler of the Eastern division of the Roman Empire.


Monetary System

Mints: Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Cyzicus, Nicomedia,

Obverse Legends:

AEL EVDOXIA AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (2.25 grams)
AU 1.5 Scripulum (1.65 grams)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR Miliarense (4.50 grams)
AE3

Arcadius – 383-408 AD

Arcadius

383-408 AD


Flavius Arcadius, the eldest son of Theodosius I and Aelia Flaccilla. He was born in 377 AD and was raised to the rank of Augustus by his father in 383 AD. His first true encounter with power came when his father marched against Arbogastes in 394 AD.

Theodosius died in 395 AD and the Empire was divided between his two sons, Arcadius taking the Eastern division, and Honorius the Western. The imperial brothers had inherited none of their father’s great abilities, and in consequence both were constantly under the influence of the strong personalities at court among their ministers.

The real power on the throne arrived in 399 AD – Alelia Eudoxia, Arcadius’s wife. It was Eudoxia who ruled from the throne with and iron fist. Anyone who dared to confront her found himself stripped of all rank, privileges and usually exiled.

When Eudoxia died in 404 AD, Arcadius turned to his Praetorian Prefect, Anthemius. This may have been one of the wisest moves the Emperor made because Anthemius proved to be genuinely concerned about preserving the Empire. When Arcadius finally died in 408 AD, Anthemius ensured a peaceful transition of the throne to Arcadius’ 7 year old son – Theodosius II.


Monetary System

Mints: Alexandria, Antioch, Arelate, Aquileia, Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraclea, Lugdunum, Milan, Rome, Siscia, Sirmium, Thessalonica, Treveri

Obverse Legends:

D N ARCADIVS P F AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (2.25 grams)
AU 1.5 Scripulum (1.65 grams)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR 3 Miliarense (13.50 grams)
AR Miliarense (4.50 grams)
AR Reduced Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AR 1/2 Siliqua (1.12 grams)
AE2
AE3
AE4

Eugenius – 392-394 AD

Eugenius

392-394 AD

Emperor in the West


Flavius Eugenius was a teacher of rhetoric at Rome. Eugenius was a friend of the great orator Symmachus, by whom he was recommended to the Frankish general Arbogastes, the defacto ruler in Gaul at this time and caretaker of Valentinian II. About three months after the suicide, or possible murder, of the Emperor Valentinian II, Arbogastes made a bid for independent power by proclaiming Eugenius as Emperor in the West on August 22nd, 392 AD, since his own barbarian descent barred him from imperial office. In the spring of 393 AD, Eugenius and Arbogastes invaded Italy. Eugenius’ pagan sympathies then led him to restore the altar of Victory in the Senate House in Rome which had been removed by the Emperor Gratian eleven years before. Theodosius I, Emperor in the East and protector of Valentinian II, now decided to take immediate retaliatory action. Theodosius marched to the West invading Italy and defeating his rivals at the battle of the Frigidus. Eugenius was executed and Arbogastes committed suicide rather than face the wrath of his former master.


Monetary System

Mints: Arelate, Lugdunum, Milan, Rome, Treveri

Obverse Legends:

D N EVGENIVS P F AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR Miliarense (4.50 grams)
AR Reduced Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AR ½ Siliqua (1.12 grams)
AE4 (13 mm)

 

Flavius Victor – 387-388 AD

Flavius Victor

387-388 AD

Son of Magnus Maximus


Flavius Victor was the son of Magnus Maximus. Shortly before his ill-fated invasion of Italy, Magnus Maximus proclaimed his young son, Flavius Victor, Augustus and nominal co-Emperor during the spring of 387 AD. The young boy was, apparently, left behind in Gaul when his father attacked Valentinian Il’s Italian possessions in the summer of 387 AD. Following Maximus’ defeat and execution, Victor fell into the hands ofTheodosius’ general Arbogastes and was himself put to death. His rare precious metal coinage is from the mints of Trier, Milan and Aquileia and his regular siliquae have the same reverse type as those of his father.


Monetary System

Mints: Arelate, Aquileia, Lugdunum, Rome, Treveri

Obverse Legends:

D N FL VICTOR P F AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (2.25 grams)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR Reduced Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AE4

 

Magnus Maximus – 383-388 AD

Magnus Maximus

383-388 AD

British Usurper in the West


Magnus Clemens Maximus was a native of Spain who claimed kinship with the Emperor Theodosius I through his father, Count Theodosius. Magnus served with the Count in Africa and in Britain during his campaigns. Eventually, Magnus held an important military command in Britain, during 383 AD when his troops proclaimed him Emperor in opposition to Gratian. Magnus immediately set out to invade Gaul in an attempt to overthrow Gratian who quickly found himself deserted. Gratian attempted to retreat to Lugdunum (Lyon) but was captured in August 383 AD and put to death. Theodosius I refused to recognize Magnus as sole ruler of the West, as he had expected. Instead, Gratian’s younger half-brotherValentinian II would remain on the throne in Italy and Magnus was to restrict himself to Gaul.

Magnus established his court at Treveri (Trier) in Gaul where he also proclaimed his young son, Flavius Victor, co-Emperor during the spring of 387 AD. Magnus was not content with ruling only Gaul. He thus invaded Italy later that same year thereby breaking the treaty he had reached with Theodosius I. Flavius Victor, still quite young at this time, was apparently left behind in Gaul when his father attacked Valentinian Il’s Italian possessions in the summer of 387 AD. Following Maximus’ defeat, he was beheaded and Victor fell into the hands of the ambitious general Arbogast who promptly executed him as well.


Monetary System

Mints: Arelate, Aquileia, Constantinople, London, Lugdunum, Milan, Treveri

Obverse Legends:

D N MAG MAXIMVS P F AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (2.25 grams)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR Miliarense (4.50 grams)
AR Reduced Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AE2
AE4

 

Aelia Flaccilla – Wife

Aelia Flaccilla

Empress 379-386 AD

Wife of Theodosius I


Aelia Flaccilla was the first living Empress to be accorded the right of coinage since Helena and Fausta, sixty years before. Aelia Flaccilla was the wife of Theodosius I. They were married about 376 AD, several years before her husband’s accession to the throne. Aelia was the mother of the future emperors Arcadius and Honorius, and her coinage commenced on the elevation of the former to the rank of Augustus in January, 383 AD. Aelia died three years later in 386 AD.


Monetary System

Mints: Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraclea, London, Nicomedia, Siscia, Thessalonica

Obverse Legends:

AEL FLACCILLA AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (Unique)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR Reduced Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AE2
AE4

Theodosius I – 379-395 AD

Theodosius I the Great

379 – 395 AD

Emperor of the East


Flavius Theodosius was the son of the famous general Count Theodosius. Theodosius served as Governor of Moesia Prima and was a very successful field general defeating the Sarmatians along the Danube. However, his career appeared to be at an end when his famous father was executed in 375 AD for treason. Theodosius retired to his family estate in Spain where he remained for several years.

In 378 AD, Theodosius was recalled by the Emperor Gratian in the wake of the disaster at the battle of Hadrianopolis where the Emperor of the East, Valens met his death. Theodosius was thus elevated to the vacant Eastern throne in January, 379 AD, about five months after the death of the Emperor Valens. Theodosius was given the Danubian frontier from which he launched major attacks against the Goths (Germanic Tribes).

Finally, in 382 AD, Theodosius came to realize that complete victory over the Goths was impossible. He decided to enter into a truce attempting the same compromise that Marcus Aurelius had once tried and failed. The Goths were given vast territories in Thrace where they were allowed to settle in return for promising their loyalty and to supply the Empire with soldiers when needed. Of course, the territory given to the Goths under Theodosius was significantly larger than that of Marcus Aurelius. In the end, Theodosius’ solution brought peace near-term, but it would ultimately prove to be a huge mistake for the Empire long-term.

Following the execution of Gratian by the usurper Magnus Maximus in 383 AD, Theodosius found himself sole legal ruler of the Roman Empire. It was at this time that he raised his son Arcadius to the rank of Augustus and also introduced the first coinage of an Empress for his wife Aelia Flaccilla. When Magnus invaded Italy in 387 AD in hopes of taking Rome and the throne of the Western provinces for himself, Theodosius raised an army from among the barbarian tribes and headed West. The two armies met at Aquileia where Magnus was defeated and subsequently beheaded.

In 390 AD, Theodosius was actually excommunicated from the church for massacring 7,000 citizens in Thessalonica for civil disorder. He was ordered to do public penance, which he completed. In 391 AD, Theodosius issued the edict of forced Christianity whereby all pagan temples were closed throughout the Empire.

Following the death of the Emperor Valentinian II in 392 AD, half-brother of Gratian, Arbogast, who was the caretaker and real power behind the throne of Valentinian II, elevated the schoolteacher Eugenius to the throne in the West. This left Theodosius with little choice but to march against the West once again.

In 394 AD, the West was again subdued at the battle of Frigidus thus unifying the Empire once again. However, this unity would prove to be a brief shining moment in the journals of history for Theodosius died at Mediolanum (Milan) in January 395 AD. He was succeeded by his two sonsArcadius and Honorius and the Empire was split between them. It would be under his son Honorius that the Goths would capture Rome itself.


Monetary System

Silver Miliarense

Mints: Alexandria, Antioch, Arelate, Aquileia, Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraclea, London, Lugdunum, Milan, Nicomedia, Rome, Siscia, Sirmium, Thessalonica

Obverse Legends:

D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG


Monetary Reform

Theodosius introduced a new denomination in gold equivalent to one-third a solidus (9 siliqua) known as the “tremissis” with an average weight of 1.51 grams which replaced the 1½ scripulum.


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (2.25 grams) – possibly unique
AU 1½ Scripulum (1.65 grams)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR 3 Miliarense (13.50 grams)
AR Miliarense (4.50 grams)
AR Reduced Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AR ¾ Siliqua (1.70 grams)
AR ½ Siliqua (1.12 grams)
AE1(restored follis)
AE2
AE3
AE4

 

Valentinian II – 375-392 AD

Valentinian II

375-392 AD

Emperor in the West
Younger son of Valentinian I


Flavius Valentinianus (II) was the younger son of the Emperor Valentinian I. He was born at Trier by his father’s second wife Justina, widow of the usurper Magnentius, thus making him the half-brother of Gratian. Valentinian was proclaimed Emperor by the troops five days after his father’s death in November, 375. Gratian had hoped to rule alone but accepted the elevation of his younger brother since this had been conducted by the powerful Danubian legions.

Following the defeat and death of the Eastern Emperor Valens in 378 AD, Gratian elevated Theodosius I to the throne of the East – not his younger brother Valentinian II. This may not have been mere family rivalry since Theodosius was a competent general and a good administrator whereas Valentinian II showed little skill for either task.

In 383 AD, Gratian fell to the usurper Magnus Maximus and was executed. Valentinian II came under the protection of Theodosius and Magnus, and according to a treaty with Theodosius, was to allow Valentinian II to rule in Italy. When Magnus broke the treaty and marched against Valentinian II, Theodosius raised an army among the barbarians and marched toward Italy himself. He met Magnus and defeated the usurper and promptly executed him and his son Flavius Victor.

In 392 AD, Valentinian II attempted to take control of his own destiny by replacing his caretaker Arbogast, who had been the real power behind his throne. Valentinian II was mysteriously found dead on May 15, 392 AD. Arbogast then raised a schoolteacher Eugenius to the throne in order to retain his power, which forced Theodosius to march against the West once again soundly defeating Arbogast and his plans for power.


Monetary System

Silver Miliarense

Mints: Alexandria, Antioch, Arelate, Aquileia, Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraclea, Lugdunum, Milan, Nicomedia, Rome, Siscia, Sirmium, Thessalonica

Obverse Legends:

D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG
D N VALENTINIANVS IVN P F AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (2.25 grams) – possibly unique
AU 1½ Scripulum (1.65 grams)
AU Tremissis (1.45 grams)
AR 3 Miliarense (13.50 grams)
AR Miliarense (4.50 grams)
AR 1½ Siliqua (3.45 grams)
AR Reduced Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AR ¾ Siliqua (1.70 grams)
AR ½ Siliqua (1.12 grams)
AE1(restored follis)
AE2
AE3
AE4

Gratian – 367-383 AD

Gratian

367 – 383 AD

Emperor of the West
Son of Valentinian I


Flavius Gratianus was the son of Valentinian I by his first wife, Severa. He was raised to the rank of Augustus at the age of eight (367 AD). Following the disastrous battle of Hadrianopolis, in which Valens lost his life, Gratian became the senior Emperor of the West along with his 4 year-old brother Valentinian II. At the time, Gratian, who was the nephew of Valens, was nineteen years old. In reality, Gratian was in effect the sole ruler. Five months later (January, 379 AD) Gratian appointed Theodosius I to be his colleague in the East.

Gratian was a devout Catholic. He was the first Emperor of Rome to refuse the title pontifex maximus, which became a title reserved for the Pope. Gratian was also the first Emperor to order the removal of the Altar of Victory from the Senate House in Rome.

During 383 AD, a revolt broke out in Britain where Magnus Maximus was proclaimed Emperor by his troops. Maximus thereby invaded Gaul. Gratian found himself deserted by his own troops and Gratian attempted to flee in the direction of the Alps, but was captured at Lugdunum on August 25th, 383 AD and executed.


Monetary System

Silver Miliarense

Mints: Alexandria, Antioch, Arelate, Aquileia, Constantinople, Cyzicus, Heraclea, Lugdunum, Rome, Siscia, Sirmium, Thessalonica

Obverse Legends:

D N GRATIANVS P F AVG


Monetary Reform

Gratian introduced reform to the bronze coinage around 379 AD. In addition to Valentinian I’s AE3 denomination, Gratian introduced its double, the AE2 and its half denomination, the AE4. The average weights were thus AE2 4.5, AE3 2.3 and the AE4 1.49 which closely resembled the weight standards used in the silver coinage from the Miliarense, the Siliqua and Half-Siliqua. Hoard evidence suggests that the AE3 was by far the most common bronze denomination. This reform of Gratian prevailed for the most part until the bronze reform of Theodosius I. However, following his death, while the denominations remained constant, the weights were reduced to AE2 4.5, AE3 2.27 and AE4 1.13 sometime between 383 – 386AD.


DENOMINATIONS

AU 1 1/5 Solidus (Festaureus) AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AU Semissis (2.25 grams)
AU 1½ Scripulum (1.65 grams)
AR Miliarense (4.50 grams)
AR 1½ Siliqua (3.45 grams)
AR Siliqua (2.25 grams)
AR 3/4 Siliqua (1.70 grams)
AR 1/2 Siliqua (1.12 grams)
AE1(restored follis)
AE2
AE3
AE4

 

Procopius – 365-366 AD

PROCOPIUS

365-366 AD

Relative of Julian II


Procopius was related to Julian II most likely on his maternal side. Procopius was born at Cilicia to a wealthy family. He became an imperial secretary and tribune. When Julian became Emperor in 361 AD, Procopius was raised to the rank of Comes and served as a general under Julian II. Procopius was perhaps named as Julian’s successor, but he was not considered by the leading generals who hailed Jovian as Emperor. Procopius apparently chose not to pursue his claim and initially retired to private life following Julian’s death.

Ironically, when Valens came to the throne in the East, he did not believe that Procopius would remain in private life. As a result, Procopius was forced into hiding. He later returned to Constantinople in 365 AD upon discontent with Valens. The local military units there proclaimed him Emperor on September 28th. Valens quickly assembled his supporters and on May 27, 366, after a brief reign of about 8 months, Procopius was put to death.


Monetary System

Mints: Constantinople, Cyzicus, Nicomedia

Obverse Legends:

D N PROCOPIVS P F AVG


DENOMINATIONS

AU Solidus (4.50 grams)
AR Siliqua (3.25 grams)
AE1(restored follis)
AE2
AE3