The Roman Empire. Avitus, 455 – 456. Solidus, Arles

The Roman Empire. Avitus, 455 – 456.
Solidus, Arles 455-456, AV 4.43 g. D N AVITVS – PERP F AVG Rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. VICTORI – A AVGGG Emperor standing r., holding long cross in r. hand and Victory on globe in l.; l. foot on captive. In field, A – R and in exergue, COMOB. C 5. LRC 875. Depeyrot 24/1. Lacam cf. 7-9. RIC 2401.

Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, undoubtedly among the finest

specimens known. Unusually well struck and exceptionally complete for the

issue. Several minor marks on reverse, otherwise good extremely fine



Ex Santamaria sale 24 January 1938, 1086.

Like many of Romes emperor's, Avitus was hailed Augustus outside of Italy. In his case the location was the provincial capital of Arles, and the circumstances were grim. In September, 454, the emperor Valentinian III murdered his magister militum A'tius, which was repaid by his own murder six months later. Valentinian was replaced by Petronius Maximus, a usurper whose tyranny invited an invasion of Italy by the Vandals, who sacked Rome on June 1. The void in the summer of 455 was considerable: there was no emperor in the West, and every portable item of value in the capital (including royal hostages) had been carted away by the Vandals. It was at this moment that Avitus courageously became emperor of the West. He did so with the support of the Visigothic king Theoderic II, but he only received the consent of the Eastern emperor Marcian later in the year, when he had made his way to Italy. Avitus had strong connections with the Visigothic court at Toulouse, for whom he was serving as an imperial envoy. He also had extensive experience in government and had acquired military experience under Avitus, one of the most accomplished soldiers of his age. Without Avitus to lead the western armies and fleets, Avitus found a new magister militum in Ricimer, who in 456 scored a major victory against the Vandals off the coast of Corsica. The talent of the new commander was a double-edged sword, for Ricimer became the most important man in the West for the next 16 years. Of more direct interest to Avitus was the fact that Ricimer soon deposed him and replaced him with a sequence of puppet emperors. Local circumstances began to weigh against Avitus, including a famine in Rome and the loss of support from the Visigoths, who were occupied with a war against the Suevi in Spain. All the while, the popularity of Ricimer was on the rise because of his follow-up victory over the Vandals. Finally, on October 17, 456, Avitus was deposed by Ricimer, who made him bishop of Piacenza, an appointment he did not long survive. This solidus was struck at the mint in Arles, which Avitus reopened using workers from Ravenna. Thus, it should not surprise us to see the mint signature of Arles (AR), but the style of Ravenna. Avitus' strong ties with the Visigoths also resulted in a large production of imitations of his solidi and tremisses, which presumably were struck at Toulouse for distribution among the Visigoths.