Dating byzantine coins

How did the Byzantine Empire change coinage?

Byzantine coins followed, and took to the furthest extreme, the tendency of precious metal coinage to get thinner and wider as time goes on. Late Byzantine gold coins became thin wafers that could be bent by hand. The Byzantine coinage had a prestige that lasted until near the end of the Empire.

What was the Byzantine currency?

The start of what is viewed as Byzantine currency by numismatics began with the monetary reform of Anastasius in 498, who reformed the late Roman Empire coinage system which consisted of the gold solidus and the bronze nummi.

What was the orthography of Byzantine coin legends like?

The orthography of Byzantine coin legends became remarkably complex as the Latin and Greek alphabets were increasingly mingled and individual letters took on new or specialized forms and words were severely abbreviated.

Were there any mints in the Byzantine Empire?

Many mints, both imperial and, as the Byzantine world fragmented, belonging to autonomous local rulers, were operated in the 12th to 14th centuries. Constantinople and Trebizond, the seat of the independent Empire of Trebizond (1204–1461), survived until their conquest by the Ottoman Turks in the mid-15th century.

What happened to Byzantine coins after the Byzantine Empire?

Late Byzantine gold coins became thin wafers that could be bent by hand. The Byzantine coinage had a prestige that lasted until near the end of the Empire. European rulers, once they again started issuing their own coins, tended to follow a simplified version of Byzantine patterns, with full face ruler portraits on the obverse.

What was the Byzantine currency?

The start of what is viewed as Byzantine currency by numismatics began with the monetary reform of Anastasius in 498, who reformed the late Roman Empire coinage system which consisted of the gold solidus and the bronze nummi.

How did the Byzantine Empire end?

The Byzantine Empire was the continuation of the Roman Empire in the east, after the western part had ceased to exist in the 5th century AD. The Byzantine Empire lasted until the Ottoman conquest of its capital Constantinople in 1453.

How did the Byzantine monetary system change?

Histamenon by Constantine VIII. The Byzantine monetary system changed during the 7th century when the 40 nummi (also known as the follis ), now significantly smaller, became the only bronze coin to be regularly issued.

What happened to the Byzantine mints?

After the loss of Syracuse in 878, Constantinople became the sole mint for gold and silver coinage until the late 11th century, when major provincial mints began to re-appear. Many mints, both imperial and, as the Byzantine world fragmented, belonging to autonomous local rulers, were operated in the 12th to 14th centuries.

How many mints were there in the Roman Empire?

Each mint had up to six at a time, and each was responsible for the production level of its own coin types. The following is a list of the known mints in the Roman Empire. Included are the ancient locations, modern equivelants, and dates of operation where known.

What was the Byzantine Empire?

The Byzantine Empire was a political entity centred around its capital Constantinople, which was originally named Byzantium until Roman Emperor Constantine established a Second Rome in the city in 330 AD. The Byzantine Empire was the continuation of the Roman Empire in the east, after the western part had ceased to exist in the 5th century AD.

When did the Byzantine Empire start making coins?

Basil I, coin, 9th century; in the British Museum. Byzantine coinage began effectively with the reign (491–518) of Anastasius I. Thenceforth, it consisted, in addition to gold, of silver and bronze.