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ID: |
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33-617 |
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[UNVERIFIED]
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| Type: |
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Roman Imperial |
| Issuer: |
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Aelia Eudoxia |
| Date Ruled: |
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A.D. 400-404
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| Metal: |
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Silver |
| Denomination: |
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Light miliarense |
| Struck / Cast: |
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struck |
| Date Struck: |
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AD 400-404 |
| Diameter: |
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25 mm |
| Weight: |
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4.46 g |
| Obverse Legend: |
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AEL EUDO_XIA AVG |
| Obverse Description: |
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Diademed and draped bust right, wearing earring and necklace; crowned above by the Hand of God |
| Reverse Description: |
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The Empress seated on throne facing, wearing diadem (?) and mantle, crowned above by the Hand of God; at sides, two crosses. In exergue, CON |
| Exergue: |
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CON |
| Mint Mark: |
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CON |
| Mint: |
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Constantinople |
| Primary Reference: |
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RIC unlisted |
| Reference2: |
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Cohen - |
| Reference3: |
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LRC - |
| Photograph Credit: |
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Numismatic Ars Classica NAC AG |
| Source: |
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http://www.arsclassicacoins.com/ |
| Price Sold For: |
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9000 Swiss Franc |
| Date Sold: |
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4/6/2006 |
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Grade:
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Good VF |
| Notes: |
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NAC Auction 33, Lot 617
Apparently unique and unpublished.
In the last quarter of the 4th Century royal ladies reemerged on the coinage after being absent for nearly two generations. First to appear was Aelia Flaccilla, next was her daughter-in-law Aelia Eudoxia, for whom this unique silver multiple was struck. Eudoxia certainly deserved her royal position – her great beauty, quick temper and forceful personality allowed her to manage her lackluster husband and to dominate the court during the four short years that remained of her life after she was hailed Augusta on January 9, 400. Eudoxia is here shown draped and adorned in all of the priceless jewelry and garments that an emperor’s money could buy. Yet for all her attachment to worldly goods, this empress was also an extremely devoted Christian who often debated high-ranking Church officials (notably St. John Chrysostom, the patriarch of Constantinople), and who went to great lengths to destroy all remnants of paganism. Thus, it is fitting that on this miliarense she is shown being crowned by the Hand of God on the obverse and on the reverse, where she is also flanked by crosses. Considering how exceedingly rare large silver coins are for the later Augustae the occasion for this piece must have been the ceremony at which Eudoxia received the title Augusta – nearly five years after she had married the eastern emperor Arcadius. This would support Kent’s dating of Eudoxia’s bronzes with an identical design (RIC X, nos. 77-84), to the period ending 401, whereas Grierson and Mays, in the Dumbarton Oaks catalog, prefer the last year of Eudoxia’s life, 403-404. Kent notes that Eudoxia is the only lady of the era for whom a silver coin larger than a siliqua is recorded, and even then he knew of only one piece, a heavy miliarense of 5.04 grams, which he was unable to confirm. It is described as being of a very different character: there is no Hand of God over Eudoxia’s head, the reverse shows a Chi-Rho within a wreath, and the mintmark is CONS. Large silver coins of Arcadius are also great rarities; a few heavy miliarenses are known, but no light miliarenses are recorded, which alone makes the present piece even more remarkable. |
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