Coins and Coin Use in Northern-Europe:
from the Later Roman Empire to the beginning of the Early Middle Ages

     

One of the most important coin series regarding the project, are the AE4 coins issued between 388 and 402. They can be divided into two major groups. The first series was minted in the Gallic mints of Arles (Constantina), Lyons (Lugdunum) and Trier (Treveri) (figure 1) and is characterized  at the reverse by the legend ‘VICTORIA AVGGG’ and by an image of Victory moving left, holding a wreath and a palm-branch (figure 2).  The second series was produced at the Italian mints of Rome and Aquilea (figure 1) and shows an image at the reverse of Victory moving left, holding a trophy over her right shoulder and dragging a chrouching captive, combined with the legend ‘SALVS REIPVBLICAE’ (figure 3). Those two series, issued until 402, are the last bronze coins that reached Gaul. The main question of this project will be how long those coins kept circulating as a mean of exchange during the fifth century, by analyzing the coins in their archaeological context.

But why are we sure that the Gallic ‘VICTORIA AVGGG‘ coins and the Italian ‘SALVS REIPVBLICAE ’ series were issued exactly between 388 and 402? The major indication for this chronology is the legend at the obverse of the coins, which mentions the name and titles of the ruling emperor. The coins are issued by the emperors Valentinianus II (371-392), Theodosius I (379-394), Arcadius (383-408), the usurpator Eugenius (392-394) and Honorius (393-423). However, no coins of this series were minted by the usurpator Magnus Maximus (383-388), so the date of his defeat by Theodosius I at the battle of the Save in 388 is regarded as the terminus post quem for both groups of bronzes. The same reasoning applies for establishing the terminus ante quem. In 402 Theodosius II was appointed Augustus over the eastern part of the Roman empire. From this moment on, an AE3 bronze coin with the legend ‘VRBS ROMA FELIX’ was issued at the mint of Rome in the name of the emperors Arcadius, Honorius and Theodosius II. Because non of the known ‘VICTORIA AVGGG’ and ‘SALVS REIPVBLICAE’ coins bear the name of Theodosius II, we assume that this type of bronzes was abandoned with the proclamation of this latter emperor in 402 and was replaced by the ‘VRBS ROMA FELIX’ series. This reasoning establishes the date of our most important AE4 coin series between 388 and 402.

The Gallic mints of Trier, Lyons and Arles are considered as closed after 402. Their output of bronze coins was already strongly reduced after 395 and seems to come to an end by the beginning of the 5^th century. However, it is important to mention that all three of these mints sporadically issued small amounts of bronzes during the first half of the 5^th century. The mint of Lyons reopens in 407 for a period of 4 years, issuing an AE4 coin during the reign of Constantine III (408-409), beside a large amount of gold solidi (407-409), and an AE3 coin in the name of Honorius and Theodosius II (413-423). The mint of Arles produced a small amount of AE4 coins during the reign of Honorius & Theodosius II (413-423) and of Johannes (423-425). Finally, a late Gallic AE4 series is known from the mint of Trier, issued by Theodosius II & Valentinianus II (425-450) (figure 4).

P. Bastien (1987) Le monnayage de l’atelier de Lyon. Du règne de Jovien à la mort de Jovin (363-413), Wetteren.

R.A.G. Carson & J.P.C. Kent (1960) Late Roman Bronze Coinage A.D. 324-498. Part II. Bronze Roman Imperial Coinage of the Later Empire A.D. 346-498, London.

J.P.C. Kent (1994) The Roman Imperial Coinage X. The Divided Empire and the Fall of the Western Parts AD 395-491, London.