Visigothic coinage
Encyclopedia
The Visigothic coinage was the basis of the economical system of the Visigoths in Gaul
and Hispania
, developed during the early Middle Ages
(from the 5th to the beginning of the 8th century).
The most relevant coins are the solidus
and the tremissis
, both minted in gold
.
Both the coins were minted in the last centuries of the Roman Empire
, in Late Antiquity
, then adopted by the emperors of the Byzantine Empire
.
The first coins were minted in Gaul, where Visigoths settled at the beginning of 5th century and has continued since the first half of the 6th century in the old Roman Hispania, where had moved the center of the Visigoth kingdom and power after the Battle of Vouillé
(507
). The victory, and shortly after, taking Toulouse
, had allowed the Franks
to extract the Visigoths of most of their Gallic areas.
The first coins, usually called pseudo-imperial imitated those circulating in the western part of the Roman Empire
and, later, those issued in the eastern part, reproducing the names of Roman emperors. Since the year 580
Visigoths began to struck entirely independent coins, at name the Visigoth kings. The issue of coins ended in the second decade of the 8th century, because of the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula
, which ended the Visigoth kingdom.
and Mark Blackburn (2007), first volume of Medieval European Coinage (MEC). In sale catalogues we find an indication as "MEC 1, 171": MEC indicates the serie, "1" the first volume and "171" the 171st coin. Coins minted by the Visigoths are all in 1st volume and from number 166 to 277.
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
and Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
, developed during the early Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
(from the 5th to the beginning of the 8th century).
The most relevant coins are the solidus
Solidus (coin)
The solidus was originally a gold coin issued by the Romans, and a weight measure for gold more generally, corresponding to 4.5 grams.-Roman and Byzantine coinage:...
and the tremissis
Tremissis
Tremissis was a currency of the Late Ancient Rome, equal to one-third of a solidus. Tremissis coins continued to be minted by descendants of the Roman Empire, such as Anglo-Saxon Britain or the Eastern Roman Empire.-External links:*...
, both minted in gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
.
Both the coins were minted in the last centuries of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, in Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
, then adopted by the emperors of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
The first coins were minted in Gaul, where Visigoths settled at the beginning of 5th century and has continued since the first half of the 6th century in the old Roman Hispania, where had moved the center of the Visigoth kingdom and power after the Battle of Vouillé
Battle of Vouillé
The Battle of Vouillé or Vouglé was fought in the northern marches of Visigothic territory, at Vouillé, Vienne near Poitiers , in the spring of 507 between the Franks commanded by Clovis and the Visigoths of Alaric II, the conqueror of Spain.Clovis and Anastasius I of the Byzantine Empire agreed...
(507
507
Year 507 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Anastasius and Venantius...
). The victory, and shortly after, taking Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, had allowed the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
to extract the Visigoths of most of their Gallic areas.
The first coins, usually called pseudo-imperial imitated those circulating in the western part of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and, later, those issued in the eastern part, reproducing the names of Roman emperors. Since the year 580
580
Year 580 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 580 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Ethelbert becomes king of Kent.* The Roman...
Visigoths began to struck entirely independent coins, at name the Visigoth kings. The issue of coins ended in the second decade of the 8th century, because of the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, which ended the Visigoth kingdom.
Collocation of currencies in the catalog
The newer text about Visigothic coins is the book of Philip GriersonPhilip Grierson
Philip Grierson, FBA was a British historian and numismatist, emeritus professor of numismatics at Cambridge University and a fellow of Gonville and Caius College for over seventy years...
and Mark Blackburn (2007), first volume of Medieval European Coinage (MEC). In sale catalogues we find an indication as "MEC 1, 171": MEC indicates the serie, "1" the first volume and "171" the 171st coin. Coins minted by the Visigoths are all in 1st volume and from number 166 to 277.