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Search Advanced Search Search By Coin ID     Home ANCIENT/BYZANTINE Ancient Spain (872) Byzantine (753) MEDIEVAL/EARLY WORLD Germany (30) MODERN WORLD COUNTERFEITS AND IMITATIONS   Submit New Coin(s)   Sponsors page Terms of Service Contact Us About Us FAQ Page Coin Detail Click here to see enlarged image. ID:     39-203      [UNVERIFIED] Type:     Roman Imperial Issuer:     Sebastianus Date Ruled:     A.D. 411-413 Metal:     Silver Denomination:     Siliqua Struck / Cast:     struck Date Struck:     AD 412-413 Diameter:     16 mm Weight:     1.32 g Obverse Legend:     [D N SEBASTIA]_NVS P F AVG Obverse Description:     Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right Reverse Legend:     VICTORI_A AVGG Reverse Description:     Roma seated left on curule chair, holding Victory on globe and reverted spear; in exergue KONT Exergue:     KONT Mint Mark:     KONT Mint:     Arelate Primary Reference:     RIC 1719 Reference2:     C 4 Reference3:     King, Mélanges Bastien, pl. 22, 11 Photograph Credit:     Numismatic Ars Classica NAC AG Source:     http://www.arsclassicacoins.com/ Price Sold For:     25000 Swiss Franc Date Sold:     5/16/07 Notes:     NAC Auction 39, Lot 203 Of the highest rarity and probably the finest of very few specimens known. Struck in unusually good metal, areas of weakness, otherwise good very fine Privately purchased from Harlan J. Berk. It appears that all known coins of Sebastianus are siliquae from a single emission Arelate – a point that reveals the desperate circumstances of his reign. No solidi seem to have been struck in his name, though they are known for his brother Jovinus, who was the senior emperor of the revolt. It is equally interesting that no small change is known for Sebastianus or Jovinus, and it is doubtful that either of them produced leaded bronze nummi minimi. Just as one might expect of a 5th Century revolt in the West, Jovinus was hailed emperor in a moment of crisis by leaders of barbarian nations – in this case Germans along the Rhine. Jovinus was seemingly the most powerful nobleman in Gaul, and in 411 he was hailed at Mainz or Mundiacum by the Alan king Goar and the Burgundian king Gundahar (Guntiarus), who later were joined by the Visigothic king Athaulf. This great alliance, however, was ruined about a year after it had begun, for Jovinus hailed his brother Sebastianus co-emperor and sought the aid of the Gothic dissident Sarus. Neither of these choices pleased Athaulf, who began to plot the defeat of the rebels with the help of Honorius and his Gallic prefect Dardanus. After having ruled for less than a year, Sebastianus was betrayed by Athaulf, who captured and beheaded him. The next target was Jovinus, whom Athaulf and Dardanus trapped in the Gallic city of Valentia; Jovinus soon surrendered, and as he was being taken to the court of Honorius he, too, was executed. The decapitated heads of both rebels were sent to Honorius at Ravenna as proof of their deaths, and thus, the end of their revolts.

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