Hi all,
Have this
solidus to share today, struck under
Valens 364-367 CE,
weight 4.47g,
diameter 21mm and
die axis 11h. Reference
RIC 5b.
The
obverse features a pearl-diademed
bust of
Valens wearing
paludamentum facing right. The
reverse features the two Emperors (Valentinian and
Valens) standing facing, heads turned towards each other, both holding spear and together holding globe on which
Victory, who crowns them.
Valentinian was acclaimed by the army as Emperor in February 364 and he in turn appointed
Valens,
his brother, as co-emperor on 28
Mar 364.
Valens was given the Eastern
part of the
Roman Empire with the capital at
Constantinople while Valentinian campaigned in the
West.
Valens was killed in battle in 378 at the disastrous battle of Adrianapole (modern Edirne). Valens's body was never found after the battle.
An apocryphal account states that
Valens threw off
his imperial robe and joined the infantry to rally the troops, but when the
Roman cavalry refused to fight, the infantry in turn was surrounded and destroyed, and
Valens with them.
The
reverse types of the gold
denominations generally became more or less standardised during the Constantinian dynasty. There were exceptions but appeared to be quite uncommon. This
solidus appears to be one of the exceptions.
