[gothic-l] Re: Gothic Coins: Was Runic Influences

[Tore Gannholm]

Hello Dirk,
Very interesting.
I have not got your deep knowledge in the subject. I only qouted Peter Heather.

In Scandinavia there are quite a few Solidi found.

On Öland where we think the Heruls passed on their way to th Lake Mälare
area lots of Solidi have been found. They are from the Hungary area where
the Heruls had a kingdom before they were beaten about 505.
In Gotland on the other hand we can find many Solidis linked to Theoderiks
time.

Why I got the idea about the Goths going to England was Sutton Hoo. There
are various things that can be linked to Gotland and the Gotlanders
(Gutarna) but also to their cousins the Ostrogoths. However I agree with
you that there should have been coins there.
cheers Tore


>Hello Tore,
>
>The Ostrogoth certainly minted coins in all metalls an in superior
>qualtity to the Constantinopel coins. It is true that Theoderic never
>put his name on gold coins (i.e. Solidi and Tremises), but his gold
>coins can easily be identified by the the variation of the title
>legend and the mint mark as Italian mints rather than Constantinopel
>or other mints. Thus, a solidus with the title "DN ANASTASIVS PP AVG"
>with mintmark CONOB is from Constantinopel, while "DN ANASTASIVS PF
>AVG" with mintmark COMOB is from Rome under Theoderic. Also on some
>rare solidi Theoderic even put his initials in Latin and Greek on the
>coins.
>
>Moreover, Theoderic put his full monogram on his (quite common) silver
>coinage (i.e. quarter and half siliquae). His successors from
>Athalaric onwards also put their full name on these coins and
>introduced copper coins with their full name, e.g. "DN BADVILA REX" on
>a dekanummi. Most famous is Theodahat's copper follis with his
>life-like portrait and his full title.
>
>Grierson and Blackburn refered to the easily recognisable Ostrogothic
>gold coins and the silver coinage when commenting that neither have
>ever been found in Britain. Grierson and Blackburn used this
>observation to demonstrate that their was no or vey little direct
>contact between the Anglo-Saxons in Britain and the Ostrogoths in
>Italy.
>
>As gold presented an easy means of portable wealth, one would expect
>the Ostogoths - who you think migragted to Britain - to have taken
>gold coins with them. For example, the involvement of Alamanni in the
>Ostogothic-Byzantine wars can be gauged from an increase of
>Ostrogothic gold coins from the mid-6th century in Alamannic finds.
>Also, Ostrogothic silver coinage has been found in fairly large
>numbers in Alamannia, but never in Britain.
>
>cheers
>Dirk
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