Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XXV 22-23 Sep 2022
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Merovingians, Pseudo-imperial AV Solidus. In the name of Phocas. Massilia, AD 602-620. D II FOCΛS • bCVbVΛC (some letters retrograde and inverted), pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust to right / VICTORI (wreath) ΛΛCCV around wreath enclosing cross potent set on globe, flanked by M - Λ and X - XI; in exergue, CONOB. G. Depeyrot, Le Numéraire Mmérovingian IV, Type 8-3A, pl. 28, 30; S.E. Rigold, "An imperial coinage in Southern Gaul in the sixth and seventh centuries" in NC 1954, 71; Belfort 2458; MEC I -. 3.85g, 20mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; only four examples recorded by Depeyrot.
From a private English collection;
Privately purchased from Alain Baron in 2010.
The later Roman Emperors had never formally abandoned Gaul and Provence after the barbaric invasions and continued to consider the minting of coins as an imperial monopoly. The most jealously guarded imperial privilege was that of the appearance of the Emperor's portrait and title on the gold coinage, which for the most part was respected by the Merovingian Frankish rulers of Gaul in the 6th century. However, there was one notable exception: Theodebert I, who in about 538 had the audacity to issue a series of gold solidi and tremisses at Massilia in his own name along with an imperial title and portrait in a bid to overrun Italy, shocking the Byzantine establishment and its historian Procopius. The great port of Massilia, which had always enjoyed a large degree of independence, issued a remarkable series of pseudo-imperial solidi and tremisses from about 565 in the names of the legitimate Emperors: Justin II, Tiberius II, Maurice Tiberius, Phocas and Heraclius. These issues were subsequently complemented with, and ultimately supplanted by, similar types in the name of the Merovingian kings: Chlotar II from c. 600, Dagobert I from c. 620, Dagobert II, Sigisbert III, Clovis II, Childeric II and Childeric I in about 640-680. This was a significant assertion of Frankish independence from the Empire, the end of outmoded imperial privileges and the mass introduction of mint magistrates names such as of Bishop and St Eligius, who famously minted gold for Dagobert I (cf. Depeyrot 43-5) and is venerated by the Catholic Church as the patron saint of goldsmiths, metalworkers and coin collectors.
It is thought that the gold for the coinage of Massilia and adjacent mints along the Rhône of Arelate, Ucetia and Vivaria, came from trade and the imperial exchequer in the form of Constantinopolitan solidi. The purpose of these substantial subsidies was the financing of Merovingian military action against the neighbouring Lombardic Kingdom, involved in long standing warfare with Imperial and Papal interests in central Italy. It is significant that the despicable Phocas (soon to be deposed) was honoured with the last imperial monument to be erected in the Roman Forum, for having presented Pope Boniface IV with the Pantheon in 608, which was transformed into the church of St. Mary and the Martyrs one year later.
These extraordinary coins were not just crude imitations of imperial prototypes, but it would seem that upon arriving at the Provençal ports they were immediately re-minted at 84 to the Roman pound and re-tariffed with a clear mark of weight: XXI and VII, signifying 21 and 7 siliquae, to distinguish them from well established imperial solidus weight standard of 24 siliquae and tremisses of 8, struck at 72 to the Roman pound, a little over 4.45g.
Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; only four examples recorded by Depeyrot.
From a private English collection;
Privately purchased from Alain Baron in 2010.
The later Roman Emperors had never formally abandoned Gaul and Provence after the barbaric invasions and continued to consider the minting of coins as an imperial monopoly. The most jealously guarded imperial privilege was that of the appearance of the Emperor's portrait and title on the gold coinage, which for the most part was respected by the Merovingian Frankish rulers of Gaul in the 6th century. However, there was one notable exception: Theodebert I, who in about 538 had the audacity to issue a series of gold solidi and tremisses at Massilia in his own name along with an imperial title and portrait in a bid to overrun Italy, shocking the Byzantine establishment and its historian Procopius. The great port of Massilia, which had always enjoyed a large degree of independence, issued a remarkable series of pseudo-imperial solidi and tremisses from about 565 in the names of the legitimate Emperors: Justin II, Tiberius II, Maurice Tiberius, Phocas and Heraclius. These issues were subsequently complemented with, and ultimately supplanted by, similar types in the name of the Merovingian kings: Chlotar II from c. 600, Dagobert I from c. 620, Dagobert II, Sigisbert III, Clovis II, Childeric II and Childeric I in about 640-680. This was a significant assertion of Frankish independence from the Empire, the end of outmoded imperial privileges and the mass introduction of mint magistrates names such as of Bishop and St Eligius, who famously minted gold for Dagobert I (cf. Depeyrot 43-5) and is venerated by the Catholic Church as the patron saint of goldsmiths, metalworkers and coin collectors.
It is thought that the gold for the coinage of Massilia and adjacent mints along the Rhône of Arelate, Ucetia and Vivaria, came from trade and the imperial exchequer in the form of Constantinopolitan solidi. The purpose of these substantial subsidies was the financing of Merovingian military action against the neighbouring Lombardic Kingdom, involved in long standing warfare with Imperial and Papal interests in central Italy. It is significant that the despicable Phocas (soon to be deposed) was honoured with the last imperial monument to be erected in the Roman Forum, for having presented Pope Boniface IV with the Pantheon in 608, which was transformed into the church of St. Mary and the Martyrs one year later.
These extraordinary coins were not just crude imitations of imperial prototypes, but it would seem that upon arriving at the Provençal ports they were immediately re-minted at 84 to the Roman pound and re-tariffed with a clear mark of weight: XXI and VII, signifying 21 and 7 siliquae, to distinguish them from well established imperial solidus weight standard of 24 siliquae and tremisses of 8, struck at 72 to the Roman pound, a little over 4.45g.