[gothic-l] Re: Trailing the Eruli in the North

[faltin2001]

> Where do we find high concentrations of Theodoric coins outside his
> kingdom?




The highest concetration of Ostrogothic coins and in particular coins
of Theoderic outside his kingdom is found in modern south and western
Germany and Eastern France. Several Merovingian coin series
(trientes) from the Rhine area and northern Burgundy are based on
Ostrogothic tremisses, showing that people there were accustomed to
these coins and continued to mint them by themselves once the supply
from Italy had stopped after 550AD at the latest. These coins were
found in very different contexts. For example the large number of
Ostrogothic tremisses in the Klepsau cemetary were used as Charons
pennies, while the hoard of Ostrogothic silver coins from Mengen
might have been the purse of a merchant. Also, all 6th century
Frankish solidi are based on Ostrogothic productions.


>
> > The actual mint-attribution is very easy and
> > undisputed. Most of the coins can be correctly attributed at
first
> > glance.
>
> Was the production of solidi concentrated at certain mints?


No all 'official' Italian mints produced gold, silver and copper
coins. One problem arises with coins from the Ostrogothic mint of
Sirmium (since 504AD). Here mostly silver coins seemed to have been
produced, although some crude and very rare tremisses may be
attributable to this mint on the basis of style. M. Metlich of the
Austrian Numismatic Institute is going to argue in his upcoming book
that these coins (the Ostogothic silver coins from Sirmium) are
actually not from Sirmium, but from an unidentified mint under
Gepidic overlordship (at least this is my understanding from a
conversation with him). His argument is based on technical reasons
(weights etc.) and seems to be convincing, because it would remove a
number of abnormalities in the Ostrogothic corpus. The Gepids minted
silver coins, based on Ostrogothic coins until the 560s.

Dirk



















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