Item number: A4636

Reference number: BCV#936; Grierson#279

Year: AD 641-668

Material: Gold

Size: 17.4 x 18.1 mm

Weight: 4.40 g

Munufactured by: Constantinople Mint

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2025

This is a solidus, a gold coin attributed to Constans II of the Byzantine Empire.

The obverse of the coin features a central frontal bust of Constans II. The portrait depicts a small head adorned with a crown, clean-shaven, and draped in a chlamys, with the right hand holding a globus cruciger. Above the portrait, the legend reads “PN CONSTANTINUS PP AVG.” The prefix “PN” is likely an erroneous transcription or abbreviation of “DN,” standing for Dominus Noster (“Our Lord”), a title commonly used for emperors since the late Roman Empire. “CONSTANTINUS” refers to “Constantinus,” a name shared by several monarchs of the Heraclian dynasty; later historians distinguished them by translating the name as “Constantine” or “Constans.” The suffix “PP AVG” is an abbreviation for Perpetuus Augustus (“Everlasting Augustus”), another imperial title. Given that the portrait style closely aligns with Type IV-B gold coins of Heraclius, some scholars argue that this specimen may belong to Constantine III, the eldest son of Heraclius, who died of illness after reigning for only three months.

The centre of the reverse features a cross potent set upon a three-stepped base, surrounded by the legend “VICTORIA AVGV,” signifying the “Victory of the Augusti.” In the exergue, the mark “CONOB” is present, in which “CON” serves as an abbreviation for the mint of Constantinople, and “OB” denotes obryzum (refined gold). To the right, situated beneath “AVGV,” is the symbol “⋀,” which some scholars suggest may be an abbreviated regnal date for year 11 (IA); however, this interpretation conflicts with other historical evidence and remains subject to further investigation. It may alternatively represent the letter “A” denoting the first officina or “Δ” denoting the fourth officina.

In AD 610, Heraclius I ascended the throne after overthrowing Phocas. He successfully defeated the Sasanian Persians and reclaimed the occupied territories of Syria and Egypt, thereby establishing the Heraclian dynasty. However, the decades-long conflict exhausted the empire’s treasury and military strength. This indirectly facilitated the rapid rise of the Arab Empire, which, within a few decades, seized the majority of Byzantine territories in the Middle East and North Africa—including the provinces of Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Carthage—drastically reducing the empire’s borders. Internally, religious discord and heavy taxation exacerbated public discontent, while the loss of the Eastern provinces undermined the economic foundations of imperial authority. Heraclius’s later years were plagued by succession disputes; following his death in AD 641 and the subsequent passing of Constantine III within months, the empire descended into civil strife. Ultimately, in the same year, his grandson Constans II ascended the throne at the age of eleven. Although his early reign was dominated by court regents and religious factions, Constans II gradually consolidated power, implementing military and administrative reforms to restore central control. He shifted the empire’s strategic focus westward, defending against Arab and Lombard threats in the Balkans and Italy, and eventually moved the capital temporarily to Syracuse to revitalize Byzantine influence in the Mediterranean. Nevertheless, his heavy-handed policies and distrust of the Eastern aristocracy sparked resentment, leading to his assassination in Syracuse in AD 668.

The solidus was introduced by Constantine the Great circa AD 312 to replace the aureus, which had suffered from severe inflation. The name of the coin relates to the “soldier’s pay.” It served as the most representative gold currency of the Roman and Byzantine Empires for over seven hundred years. Weighing approximately 4.5 grams with an exceptionally high degree of purity, the solidus remained stable for centuries. It became the primary gold-standard currency for both domestic and international trade, influencing the design of subsequent gold coins such as the dinar.

物件編號: A4636

參考書目編號: BCV#936; Grierson#279

年代: 公元 641-668 年

材質: 金

尺寸: 17.4 x 18.1 mm

重量: 4.40 g

製造地: 君士坦丁堡造幣廠

來源: 福君錢幣 2025

這是一枚拜占庭帝國君士坦斯二世所鑄的索利都斯金幣。

金幣正面中央為君士坦斯二世正面半身像，頭部比例較小，頭戴皇冠，無鬚。身披斗篷，右手托著十字聖球。肖像上方幣銘「PN CONSTANTINUS PP AVG 」，「PN」可能為「DN」的省誤或略寫，意為「主宰者」(Dominus Noster)，羅馬帝國晚期起便是皇帝的常見尊號。 「CONSTANTINUS」則指「君士坦提烏斯」，此名為希拉克略王朝君主所共有，後世史家則為區別分別譯為「君士坦丁」、「君士坦斯」等。「PP AVG」為「Perpetuus Augustus」的縮寫，意為「永恆的奧古斯都」，亦為皇帝尊號。由於其人像風格更接近希拉克略的四型B類金幣，是故亦有論者認為此錢幣出自在位僅三個月便病亡的希拉克略之長子君士坦丁，即君士坦丁三世。

背面中央為立在三層檯座上的「拐杖十字」(cross potent)，周圍幣銘為「VICTORIA AVGV」，意為「奧古斯都(皇帝)的勝利」。下方為「CONOB」，其中「CON」為鑄造地「君士坦丁堡」的縮寫，「OB」則為「Obryzum」(純金)的縮寫。右方「AVGV」下方的「⋀」，有論者認為可能是紀年符號「11/IA」的省寫，但與其他史料扞格，詳情待考。也可能是代表第一作坊的「A」或第四作坊的「∆」。

希拉克略一世於公元610年，推翻福卡斯即位為帝，後成功擊敗薩珊波斯並奪回被侵佔的敘利亞與埃及，開創了希拉克略王朝。但這場長達數十年的戰爭耗盡了帝國的財政與軍力，隨後間接導致阿拉伯帝國迅速崛起，於短短數十年間奪去拜占庭在中東與北非的大部分領土，包括敘利亞、巴勒斯坦、埃及與迦太基等行省，使帝國的疆域大幅縮減。而內部的宗教紛爭與稅收壓力加劇了民怨，東方行省的喪失更削弱了皇權的經濟基礎。希拉克略晚年為繼承為題所困擾，其於公元641年逝世，加以其子君士坦丁三世數月即亡，帝國旋即陷入內亂。最終於同年，由其孫，君士坦斯二世即位，其時年僅十一歲。君士坦斯二世的早期統治由宮廷攝政與宗教派系主導，但君士坦斯二世逐漸鞏固權力，推行軍事與行政改革，試圖恢復中央控制。他將帝國的戰略重心轉向西方，先在巴爾幹與義大利防禦阿拉伯與倫巴第的威脅，後更將首都暫時遷往敘拉古(Syracuse)，以重振帝國在地中海的影響力。然而，他的強硬政策與對東方貴族的不信任引起不滿，最終於公元668年在敘拉古被暗殺。

索里都斯金幣(solidus)由君士坦丁大帝於公元312年左右創立，用以取代通貨膨脹嚴重的奧里斯金幣(aureus)。幣名意為「士兵的薪水」。是羅馬與拜占庭帝國長達七百多年中最具代表性的金幣。索里都斯的重量約為4.5克，成色極高，並在之後數百年間保持穩定，成為帝國內部與國際貿易中的主要金本位貨幣，並影響了之後第納里烏斯等金幣的形制。