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Felix Dahn: A fight for Rome - West Rome, Ostrogoths and Byzanz


Prieure de Sion

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Do any of you know the epic by Felix Dahn? I think it can easily compete with Quo Vadis. In German, the work comprises seven books. I have already read through all seven volumes three times. I've also watched the film version several times and listened to the audio book several times. 
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Struggle_for_Rome

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ein_Kampf_um_Rom
 

I'm fascinated by this struggle between the three powers, none of which really wins in the end. Three powers fight - and in the end something new emerges from it.

The Romans cling to the past. They would like to gain power over Italy - but cannot do it alone with their strength. The Ostrogoths would have the power and could stabilise the power in Italy, but they do not manage to bridge the gap between the Romans and their people. And the Byzantines are trying to save something that has not really belonged to them for a long time in the completely wrong place for them.

Amalaswintha, Witichis, Totila, Belisar... to name but a few, are names that I remember to this day. Amalaswintha fascinates me to this day.


Does anyone collect coins from this period?
Theoderic the Great
Athalaric 
Totila
Emperor Justinian

Strangely enough, I don't own a single coin from this fascinating period of upheaval. I would be pleased if you could show me your specimens.
 

E6E74758-E100-48E7-9197-DD6FAE33D58B.jpeg

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Bn9fm6H8Do5spmN3CM4iQ7trkp2KZ6.jpg.2d30e88715ecb5bbd26302b4057e6a47.jpg

Attribution: Sear Byzantine 323 Ravenna mint

That might be my only Justinian coin from an Italian mint.
Date: Dated Year 34 - AD 560/1
Obverse: Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger, cross to right
Reverse: Large M, A/N/N/O to left, cross above, X / XX / IIII (date) in left field, RAVEN / NA below
Size: 34.13mm
Weight: 8.81 grams

Ugly, but rare.

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Heeeere's Athalaric, Ostrogothic Kings (526-534 AD) : Ae Decanummium (17mm, 2.68gms)

Obv: INVICTA ROMA; Helmeted bust of Roma right

Rev: D N ATHALARICVS; Athalaric standing facing, head right, holding spear and shield; S-C to either side, X (denomination) to left

Ref: BMC 69

693659407_AthalaricAe.jpg.e1f8595a6897464e03ef20edf8c178a0.jpg

 

 

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11 hours ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Do any of you know the epic by Felix Dahn? I think it can easily compete with Quo Vadis. In German, the work comprises seven books. I have already read through all seven volumes three times. I've also watched the film version several times and listened to the audio book several times. 
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Struggle_for_Rome

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ein_Kampf_um_Rom
 

I'm fascinated by this struggle between the three powers, none of which really wins in the end. Three powers fight - and in the end something new emerges from it.

The Romans cling to the past. They would like to gain power over Italy - but cannot do it alone with their strength. The Ostrogoths would have the power and could stabilise the power in Italy, but they do not manage to bridge the gap between the Romans and their people. And the Byzantines are trying to save something that has not really belonged to them for a long time in the completely wrong place for them.

Amalaswintha, Witichis, Totila, Belisar... to name but a few, are names that I remember to this day. Amalaswintha fascinates me to this day.


Does anyone collect coins from this period?
Theoderic the Great
Athalaric 
Totila
Emperor Justinian

Strangely enough, I don't own a single coin from this fascinating period of upheaval. I would be pleased if you could show me your specimens.
 

E6E74758-E100-48E7-9197-DD6FAE33D58B.jpeg

P. de Sion, This is an era in world history that seriously fascinates me too ☺️. I don't think I've got the endurance to read 1,296 pages but would try the movie version. Is there a DVD version of "The Struggle for Rome" in the English language, & if so how would you rate it.

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5 hours ago, Al Kowsky said:

P. de Sion, This is an era in world history that seriously fascinates me too ☺️. I don't think I've got the endurance to read 1,296 pages but would try the movie version. Is there a DVD version of "The Struggle for Rome" in the English language, & if so how would you rate it.

Yes - in German the Movie Title is "Kampf um Rom" - in English "Last Roman"

English Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampf_um_Rom 

DVD English: https://warshows.com/product/last-roman-1968-dvd/ 

 

Hm. Its a movie produced in 1968 - if you like historical films like Spartacus or Quo Vadis - you like this Movie.
But its an typical Historic Movie from 1960-70 ... you must like that - or you hate it.

 

1 hour ago, Victor_Clark said:

Totila/Baduila (A.D. 541-552)

Cool ... Totila ...! 

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here's some Ostrogothic municipal coinage

 

MEC_93.jpg.e3c4a214e0814cbf24c8e0c24d98ff48.jpg

 

Ostrogoths, Municipal Coinage Æ 40 Nummi. Rome, AD 526-534. INVICTA ROMA, draped bust of Roma to right, wearing crested helmet, pendant earring and necklace / She-wolf standing to left, head turned back to watch the two infants Romulus and Remus suckling; XL (mark of value) above, •||||• in exergue. MEC 1, 93-5. 13.39g, 25mm, 1h.

 

MEC_99.jpg.250cf6df3daa27986a4405ba2f434cb3.jpg

 

OSTROGOTHS. Athalaric. Municipal Coinage. 526-534. Æ 20 Nummi – Half Follis (21mm, 4.31 g). Rome mint. [Helmeted and draped bust of Roma right] / She-wolf standing left, head right, suckling twins; above, Christogram between two stars; · X · X · in exergue. COI 84b; MIB 71c; MEC 1, 99.

 

Ostrogoth_MEC101_2.jpg.c8f8b8cc2cb646de1adb28c5514eb9ed.jpg

 

Ostrogoths, Pseudo-Autonomous Æ Nummus (24mm   11.3g  12h). Struck during the reigns of Theodoric and Athalaric in Rome, circa AD 493-553. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted bust of Roma right / Eagle with raised wings standing left, head right; XL upwards to left; •Δ• in exergue. COI 76b; MEC 101; BMC Vandals 14; MIB I 74a; Demo 42.

CNG Inv. 824397 (November 2008); Gemini XIII (6 April 2017) lot 267; Ex Classical Numismatic Review XLII. 3 (Summer 2017), no. 460205; CNG 117 (May 2021) lot 737

 

Ostrogoth_MEC110.jpg.3fe69b2b72b87dd33b6d82fd2a2515ab.jpg

OSTROGOTHS. A.D. 493- 553. 20 Nummi or Half Follis (23x24mm   6.5gm) Municipal issue. Rome mint. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted and draped bust of Roma right. REV: Palm tree; to left and right, eagle standing outward, heads facing inward; in ex. •XX•. COI 83 (Athalaric); MEC  110.
 
Ex Numismatik Naumann, Auktion 69 (2 September 2018) lot 453; Numismatica Ars Classica 93 (24 May 2016), lot 1119; Numismatica Ars Classica Autumn 1995, lot 711.

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Rome under Theodoric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE follis
Obv: IMVIC-TA ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: She-wolf standing left, suckling Romulus and Remus, XL (40) above, dot V dot in ex
Mint: Rome (struck 498-526 AD)
Ref: BMC 24

49898556-AAF3-488A-B29A-E9B52BDED021.thumb.png.d32c7c1052ebcdcb49359f3b9fc9127e.png

Athalaric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: INVICT-A ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N / ATHAL / ARICVS / REX, legend within wreath, X (10) below
Mint: Rome
Date: 526-534 AD
Ref: COI 86; MIB 78; MEC 1, 133-4

DDAE6872-2652-41AD-8610-06683308A9A7.thumb.jpeg.545e0b02cf70bdae94581c4c62989732.jpeg
 

Athalaric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE decanummium
Obv: INVICT-A ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: D N ATHAL-ARICVS, Athalaric, in military outfit, standing, holding spear and shield, S-C across fields, X in left field
Mint: Rome 
Date: 526-534 AD
Ref: BMC 69, COI 85b

upload_2021-8-14_0-1-11.jpeg
 

Justinian I, Byzantine Empire
AE follis
Obv: D N IVSTINI-ANVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, bust right
Rev: Large M, cross above, cross to left, star to right, all within wreath
Mint: Rome
Mintmark: ROMA (in exergue)
Date: 537-542 AD
Ref: SB 293

[IMG]

Justinian I, Byzantine Empire
AE follis
Obv: D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVG, diademed, helmeted, cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield, cross to right
Rev. Large M, cross above, officina letter B below, ANNO to left, XЧ to right, CON in ex.
Mint: Constantinople
Date: 541/2 (year 15)
Ref: SB 163.
Size: 23.30g, 39mm

EE5553B3-7C24-4E89-91BA-A8B0981E728F.jpeg
 

Justinian I, Byzantine Empire
AE follis
Obv: D N IVSTINI-ANVS P P AVG, diademed, helmeted, cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield, cross to right
Rev. Large M, cross above, officina letter Δ below, ANNO to left, XX to right, mintmark QHЧΠ in ex
Mint: Theopolis (Antioch)
Date: 546/7 (year 20)
Ref: SB 220
Size: 19.9 gr., 39 mm

[IMG]

Edited by ValiantKnight
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9224FE7B-8DB7-47C1-B7C1-6099A13F7F73.jpeg.e22e4b960df41dc68fadc51a401b1a0f.jpegOstrogoths.  Athalaric 526-34AD in imitation of a coin of Justinian.  Italian mint, probably Rome, Ravenna, or Milan.  Grierson in MEC I says it is from Rome.  

MEC I 123.  A certain celator of Athalaric would leave off the second crossbar of the F in PFAUG on the OBV, so it looks like a gamma.  REV has a six pointed star and COMOB. 

Purchased from Allen Berman at the BSCS 7/2022C7173BA1-31A7-4D3B-BA21-596FC607EC36.jpeg.8e192723b1c49baaba32698da60c5c42.jpeg

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And here is an official semissis of Justinian, Constantinople mint.  As has been previously noted, and as you can see by comparing this coin (and @LuckyLuudje’s official tremissis above) with the Ostrogothic tremisses,  the Ostrogothic gold coins are in higher relief.  The die work is superior also, in contrast to most Barbarian coins from other tribes which are more, er, barbarous.  image.png.eaeb1f4d7710ea8c73aa7ffe238b57f9.pngimage.png.cba4d618e67f5278c78e47a992f08cdb.png

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