664

Roman Empire. Julius Nepos. Solidus 474-475, AV 4.35g.

Currency:CHF Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Ancient Start Price:20,000.00 CHF Estimated At:25,000.00 CHF
Roman Empire. Julius Nepos. Solidus 474-475, AV 4.35g.
The sign-up for this auction will close 48 hours before the auction starts. Please make sure you sign up on time. Also, there is NO ABSENTEE BIDDING for this auction. Please plan to bid live during the sale.
The Roman Empire. Julius Nepos first reign, 24th June 474–28th August 475. Solidus, Ravenna 474-475, AV 4.35g. D N IVL NE–POS P F AVG Helmeted, pearl-diademed and cuirassed bust three-quarters r. facing, holding spear and shield with horseman and enemy motif. Rev. VICTORI–A AVGGG: Victory standing l., supporting long jewelled cross; in fields, R–V. In exergue, COMOB. C 5. RIC 3212. Depeyrot 41/1. LRC 939. Lacam 30 (this coin). Ranieri 181. Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, possibly the finest specimen known. Virtually as struck and almost Fdc. Ex Leu sale 15, 1976, 411. The year 472 was of critical importance to the Western Roman Empire: not only had two emperors, Anthemius and Olybrius, perished, but the ‘emperor-making’ general Ricimer also had died. Ricimer was replaced by his nephew Gundobad, who, after a four-month hiatus, appointed Glycerius, a man of no particular distinction, to the vacant throne. The usurpation was not recognized by the emperor Leo I in Constantinople, as the right to rule, or to determine who would rule, had rightfully passed to Leo. To remedy the situation, Leo sent Julius Nepos, the magister militum of Dalmatia and a relation by marriage to Italy at the head of an army. Nepos captured Glycerius without a fight, and appointed him bishop of Salona (in his own land of Dalmatia), and thus spared his life. With Leo’s death in 474 and the eruption of contest for power in the East, Nepos acted decisively and seized the western throne himself. The new emperor was immediately beset by many difficulties: the local population did not support him, and he had to cede Gaul and Spain to the Visigoths under their new and energetic king Euric. Furthermore, he appointed the former secretary to Attila the Hun, Orestes, as his magister militum, an unfortunate choice since Orestes soon rebelled. Nepos was forced to flee back to his native Dalmatia, and afterwards Orested placed his own son Romulus Augustus on the throne. Though he had no real power in the West, Nepos was still the constitutional emperor, and at least initially was viewed as such by the new Eastern emperor Zeno. Nepos continued to rule Dalmatia autonomously as he had done before until in 480 he was murdered, seemingly at the instigation of Glycerius, the former emperor whose life he had mercifully spared.