013a Valentinian III

Ruler:  Valentinian III, AD 425-455.

Obverse: Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: Valentinian standing facing, foot on human-headed serpent coiled below, holding long cross and Victory on globe; R|V//COMOB.

Mint: Ravenna mint. Struck AD 426-circa 430.

Denomination: Solidus

Weight: 

Reference: RIC X 2010; Depeyrot 17/1

Note: Valentinian III was son of the brief-reigning Constantius III and the formidable Galla Placidia, daughter of Theodosius I.

Valentinian III spent his early years under the protection of his cousin, the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II. After the death of Honorius in AD 425, the Western throne was seized by a military cabal who placed a relative nonentity, the Chamberlain Johannes, on the throne. Theodosius II found this intolerable and sent a military task force to install the six-year-old Valentinian III as West Roman Emperor, with Galla Placidia acting as regent. After a number of misadventures, the Eastern army succeeded and Valentinian was formally crowned in Rome on 23 October, AD 425.

Valentinian would go on to "reign" for 30 years, although he grew into an ineffectual and pleasure-loving ruler who left the actual governing to a succession of court eunuchs while a series of powerful generals strove mightily, but in vain, against the slow disintegration of the West Roman Empire. 

Collezione : 18c Roman solidi