Forum Medieval Numismatists:
I'm stumped on a
medieval denier
legend and have a question.
According to Ermanno
Arslan in
his paper "Le monnayage d'argent de Bénévent à l'époque Carolingienne" the Louis II denier coins from the Benevento
mint are the first Carolingian coins ever issued to give a Woman, Queen ANGILBERGA, equal "Imperial" title and attributed status with her husband,
King Louis II (the Younger).
My question is on the
legend abbreviation "NP" after the Angilberga name on the
Cross deniers. Please see the attached photo.
Ermanno
Arslan give Angilberga the "attributed status and title" from the
rare monogrammed Louis II Benevento deniers with "
IMP" legends following both
his name and Angilberga’s name. See
Arslan’s FIGURE 20 photo attached.
So, what does the "NP"
legend abbreviation to after her name?
Is the "NP" actually an "MP" like on the
obverse Louis
side?
Or perhaps a ligatured IN to actually read "
IMP" for her true title? As
engraved on the FIGURE 20
obverse &
reverse for Louis and Angilberga, as it is on the
Arslan FIGURE 20 coin?
I'm inclined to think the die engraver may have cut corners. Perhaps he not only used "N" to mean "M" but may have also ligatured the "IN" to actually refer to "
IMP," believing he was running out room for the full
legend titles.
Unless, "NP" means something else. By the way, her name contains the same number of Latin letters as the
obverse Louis' so an "I" letter could have fit onto the die.
Thank you for any
help.
