Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 138 18-19 May 2023
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Olybrius, March (?) – 23 October 472.
Tremissis, Mediolanum March (?)-23 October 472, AV 1.47 g. D N ANICIVS (S reverted) OLVBRIVS (S reverted) AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. Cross within wreath; in exergue, COMOB. C 5. Ulrich-Bansa pl. XIII, 147 (these dies). RIC 3004. LRC–. Depeyrot 33/1.
Of the highest rarity, possibly the finest of only seven specimens known,
undoubtedly one of the most difficult names of the entire series.
Well struck and centred on a full flan and extremely fine
Olybrius, who reigned as a puppet emperor for six or seven months in 472, was only too familiar with the troubled state of affairs in the Western Roman Empire, for he was a member of the senatorial nobility who had evacuated Rome just before it was sacked by the Vandals in 455. Fortunately for Olybrius, he had sufficient wealth to relocate in Constantinopolis in high style. In addition to wealth, he had political influence, for in 462 he married Placidia the younger, the daughter of the former western emperor Valentinian III, and in 464 he held the consulship. Whatever horrifying tales Olybrius could have told, they must have paled in comparison with those of his new teenage bride Placidia, for she had been carried off by the Vandals as booty in the sacking of Rome that Olybrius had escaped. The two were wed upon her return after the eastern emperor Leo I had negotiated her release after seven years as a hostage of king Gaiseric in Carthage. In striking this marriage Olybrius became related to the House of Theodosius and to Gaiseric, whose son Huneric had married Placidia's sister, Eudocia the younger. These unusual qualifications made Olybrius an obvious choice for Leo I to send to Italy in 472 as an ambassador to resolve a conflict between the magister militum Ricimer and Leo's chosen candidate for the Western throne, Anthemius. Though the details have been garbled, the result of Olybrius' trip was that in April 472 he accepted Ricimer's offer to make him emperor in place of Anthemius, who was then besieged in Rome and eventually beheaded. However, Olybrius' unexpected windfall quickly turned sour, for Ricimer unexpectedly died a few weeks later. Ricimer was replaced as magister militum by his nephew Gundobad, and though his relationship with Olybrius may have been stable, it hardly mattered for the new emperor died of dropsy, perhaps on November 2, 472, after having reigned about half a year. Olybrius seems to have coined only solidi and tremisses, and they are all extremely rare, in fact only four solidi and six tremissis are listed by Lacam to which this specimen and another specimen auctioned by Leu must be added. He certainly valued his noble ancestry, for he uncharacteristically includes his full family name, ANICIVS, on all of his coins. There is debate among authorities as to the mints used to strike his coins, as none of them bear mint signatures. Kent and Lacam attribute all solidi to Rome, and divide the tremisses between Rome and Milan; Grierson and Mays agree with them on the tremisses, but divide the solidi between Rome and Ravenna.
Tremissis, Mediolanum March (?)-23 October 472, AV 1.47 g. D N ANICIVS (S reverted) OLVBRIVS (S reverted) AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. Cross within wreath; in exergue, COMOB. C 5. Ulrich-Bansa pl. XIII, 147 (these dies). RIC 3004. LRC–. Depeyrot 33/1.
Of the highest rarity, possibly the finest of only seven specimens known,
undoubtedly one of the most difficult names of the entire series.
Well struck and centred on a full flan and extremely fine
Olybrius, who reigned as a puppet emperor for six or seven months in 472, was only too familiar with the troubled state of affairs in the Western Roman Empire, for he was a member of the senatorial nobility who had evacuated Rome just before it was sacked by the Vandals in 455. Fortunately for Olybrius, he had sufficient wealth to relocate in Constantinopolis in high style. In addition to wealth, he had political influence, for in 462 he married Placidia the younger, the daughter of the former western emperor Valentinian III, and in 464 he held the consulship. Whatever horrifying tales Olybrius could have told, they must have paled in comparison with those of his new teenage bride Placidia, for she had been carried off by the Vandals as booty in the sacking of Rome that Olybrius had escaped. The two were wed upon her return after the eastern emperor Leo I had negotiated her release after seven years as a hostage of king Gaiseric in Carthage. In striking this marriage Olybrius became related to the House of Theodosius and to Gaiseric, whose son Huneric had married Placidia's sister, Eudocia the younger. These unusual qualifications made Olybrius an obvious choice for Leo I to send to Italy in 472 as an ambassador to resolve a conflict between the magister militum Ricimer and Leo's chosen candidate for the Western throne, Anthemius. Though the details have been garbled, the result of Olybrius' trip was that in April 472 he accepted Ricimer's offer to make him emperor in place of Anthemius, who was then besieged in Rome and eventually beheaded. However, Olybrius' unexpected windfall quickly turned sour, for Ricimer unexpectedly died a few weeks later. Ricimer was replaced as magister militum by his nephew Gundobad, and though his relationship with Olybrius may have been stable, it hardly mattered for the new emperor died of dropsy, perhaps on November 2, 472, after having reigned about half a year. Olybrius seems to have coined only solidi and tremisses, and they are all extremely rare, in fact only four solidi and six tremissis are listed by Lacam to which this specimen and another specimen auctioned by Leu must be added. He certainly valued his noble ancestry, for he uncharacteristically includes his full family name, ANICIVS, on all of his coins. There is debate among authorities as to the mints used to strike his coins, as none of them bear mint signatures. Kent and Lacam attribute all solidi to Rome, and divide the tremisses between Rome and Milan; Grierson and Mays agree with them on the tremisses, but divide the solidi between Rome and Ravenna.