Archaeological Museum of Bologna

Museo Civico Archeologico
Via dell'Archiginnasio 2 - 40124 Bologna
Tel. 051.27.57.211

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Via de' Musei 8 – 40124 Bologna
Tel. 051.27.57.211 - Fax 051.26.65.16
mca@comune.bologna.it

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Collections / Sections / Numismatic collection

Golden Solidus, Anastasio I

There are numerous gold and silver pieces in the collection of Byzantine and barbarian coins, composed of about 1500 coins in good condition struck over a long period of time, ranging from the 5th to the 14th century AD. The hoard of coins from the River Reno is especially important and includes 7 gold solidi from the Eastern Empire and Benevento, and 14 gold Abbasid dinars dating from the mid-8th to the early 9th century AD.

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This coin shows on the obverse the front bust of Anastasius I, Byzantine emperor, wearing a helmet with a diadem and a cuirass finely engraved; he holds a spear resting on his right shoulder and a shield on which is depicted a knight.The legend of the obverse, DN ANASTASIVS PP AVG, it means "Dominus Noster and Pater Patriae".
On the reverse, the inscription VICTORIA AVGGG (of the Augusti), accompanies the depiction of Victory, holding in his right hand a long cross. On exergue (the space at the bottom of a coin on the reverse side, sometimes separated by a line) appears COMOB. COM stands for Comes Sacrarum Largitionum, which controlled emissions, while OB, obryzum, indicates that the gold used for the minting of this coin came from purified ingots.


The coin was issued by the mint of Rome between 491 and 518 AD

Provenance: Palagi Collection
Datation: 491 - 518 AD
Material: gold
Dimensions: dia mm 19,5; gr 4,46
Inventory #: 41161

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