Item number: A234

Year: AD 408-450

Material: Gold

Size: 14.0 x 13.8 x 0.4 mm

Weight: 1.37 g

Manufactured by: Constantinople mint

Provenance: Private Collector, UK, 2018

This is a Tremissis gold coin minted by Theodosius II, who served as Byzantine Emperor from AD 408 to AD 450. The obverse of the coin features a half-length bust of the emperor, wearing a pearl diadem on his head and adorned with a cloak and a cuirass. The Latin inscription around the periphery reads “D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG,” which translates to “Our Lord Theodosius II, Pious and Fortunate Augustus.”

On the reverse side of the coin is a “Trophy,” which is a public monument erected by the Romans from the spoils of war, particularly from their conquests over enemies such as barbarian tribes. The trophy originally began as a simple wooden post adorned with the captured enemies’ armour, quivers, and shields. Over time, trophies evolved to be constructed from stone and metal materials. The stars flanking the trophy are symbols of glory and fortune, derived from astrological motifs that persisted from Rome’s pagan era. The Latin inscription at the bottom, “CON,” signifies the minting location, an abbreviation for Constantinople, while “OB” denotes the use of pure gold in the coin’s production.

Theodosius II was the grandson of Theodosius I, who established Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire. In AD 431, the threat posed by the nomadic Hunnic Empire, particularly under the leadership of Attila the Hun, began to loom over the northern borders of the empire. At one point, Attila led a massive army in an assault on the capital, Constantinople, compelling Theodosius II to negotiate favourable terms with the Huns. Ultimately, Theodosius II passed away at the age of 49 due to a riding accident.

物件編號: A234

年代: 公元 408-450 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 14.0 x 13.8 x 0.4 mm

重量: 1.37 g

製造地: 君士坦丁堡造幣廠

來源: 英國私人收藏 2018

這是一枚公元408至450年，擔任拜占庭皇帝的狄奧多西二世鑄造的特雷米西斯金幣。金幣正面是皇帝的右側半身胸像，頭上戴著珍珠皇冠，身上穿著披風和胸甲。外圍的拉丁銘文「D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG」意思是「我主 狄奧多西二世，虔誠又幸運的奧古斯都」。

金幣背面是一個「獎盃」，這是羅馬人在征討敵人，尤其是蠻族，以戰利品搭建而成的公共紀念碑。獎盃的雛型僅僅是一個木樁，並在上面掛滿戰敗方的胸甲、箭袋和盾牌。後續則逐漸出現以石頭和金屬材質的獎盃。獎盃兩側的星星是羅馬在異教信仰時期，流傳下來的占星學圖騰，象徵榮耀和幸運。下側的拉丁銘文「CON」是鑄造地點，即君士坦丁堡的簡稱，「OB」代表以赤(純)金打造。

狄奧多西二世，是確立基督教為羅馬國教的狄奧多西一世的孫子。公元431年，匈人游牧帝國開始對帝國的北境造成威脅，尤其是匈人首領阿提拉一度率領大軍攻擊首都君士坦丁堡，迫使狄奧多西二世向匈人提出優渥的和談條件。最終狄奧多西二世在一次落馬意外中逝世，享年49歲。