Coinage of Adelchis of Benevento

Last updated
Adelchis: denier
Adelchis denier 641521.jpg
+LVDOVVICVS INP, cross potent on steps+ANGILBERGA NP, baptismal cross
AR Denier (1,13 g), in the name of Louis II and Angilberga.

The coinage of Adelchis , prince of Benevento, constitutes a special chapter in the Lombard coinage of Benevento and bears witness to the political changes that took place during his principality. The period in which Adelchis minted runs from 854, when he became prince of Benevento, to 878; his coinage is centered on the denier, a silver coinage that became widespread in Europe following Charlemagne's rise to power.

Contents

The fortunes of Adelchis' principality are linked to a remarkably turbulent historical period, punctuated by wars in which Emperor Louis II was involved. The latter tried to place the principality within his own sphere of power, but Adelchis, after many vicissitudes, managed to retain control of it. These events are reflected and represented by the various types that followed one another in the issues: at first with the presence of Adelchis' name alone, then Adelchis' name with the emperor's name next to it, later without Adelchis' name but with the emperor's name, either alone or with his wife, and finally with Adelchis' name flanked by that of the pope, John VIII.

Cataloging and sources

In Philip Grierson and Mark Blackburn's text, Medieval European Coinage (MEC), [1] of the coinage struck during Adelchis' principality only six coins out of eighteen known are listed and described with the aid of photographs. Despite the scant prominence given to Adelchis' coinage the MEC is nevertheless used as a reference in catalogs with indications such as "MEC 1, 1113," where MEC indicates the initials of the series, 1 the first volume, and 1113 the 1113th coin in the catalog. Coins pertinent to the coinage of Adelchis, all in the first volume, are catalogued from 1113 to 1118. The individual coins analyzed in the volume and used in the illustrations are those in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

Another cataloging source, equally used, is the BMC Vand, that is, the catalog of coins of the Vandals and other peoples, found in the British Museum, edited by Warwick William Wroth and published in London in 1911. [2] Adelchis' coinage is mentioned within the framework of Benevento coinage, and the coins in the museum are depicted in Table XXV (4-6) and described from pages 183 to 186. Types not in the collection are also described.

Less internationally used but more detailed are the studies published in Italy by Giulio Sambon in 1912, those contained in vol. XVIII of the CNI (Corpus Nummorum Italicorum) [3] and Memmo Cagiati's text of 1916-17. In particular, Cagiati's text lists all the specimens then known with their description, representing them through drawings.

Historical context

Sico: denier
SIco denaro 80000861.jpg
+ PRIHCES BEHEBEH • TI*, SICO monogram joined by a cross with a central quadrangle; wedge in the first quarter• ΛRCHΛNGELVS MICHΛЄL, cross potent on two steps; wedge to the right
AR 1,17 g, 3h

After the annexation of the Lombard kingdom to the Carolingian empire (774), the Benevento domain had remained the only one of the Lombard territories to retain its de facto independence, despite the fragmentation of its territories around 840. Adelchis was prince from 854 until his death in May 878. He was Radelchis' son and succeeded his brother Radelgar as the latter's son Gaideris was still in infancy.

The independence of the principality was threatened by the continuing assaults of the Saracens in the south, pressure from Emperor Louis II from the north, and pressure from the Byzantines stationed in the theme of Longobardia in the east.

In 860 Adelchis was defeated at Bari by Muslim forces and then sought help from the Frankish emperor Louis II, who defeated the Saracens in 866 and recaptured Bari in 871. Louis II then sought to consolidate his control over the principality by quartering troops in Benevento's fortresses. Adelchis reacted by taking the emperor prisoner while he was a guest in the princely palace in Benevento.

These events are reflected in the coinage issued under his principality.

Coinage

First period, first type
Adelchi denaro 1.svg
+ ADEL • PRIN; in the field in three lines.• ARHANGEMIHAE; cross set aside by lozenges.
First period, second type
Adelchi denaro 2.svg
ADELHIS — • — PRINCE; cross on three steps.A • RHANGELVMICHAEL; cross potent decorated with rosettes.
First period, third type
Adelchi denaro 3.svg
SANCTA MARIA; in the field letters P / ADL / R (Adelchis Princeps) arranged in a cross.+ ARHNGELVΠIH; cross.
First period, fifth type
Adelchi denaro 5.svg
ADELGISI PRINCE; Cross juxtaposed by the letters Α and ω.+ ARHANGELVSΠIHA; S Π A R monogram (Sancta Maria).
First period, sixth type
Adelchi denaro 6.svg
ADELCHIS PRIN; carolingian temple.S•C•A•M ARIA (Sancta Maria); cross on three steps juxtaposed on the right by two small globes.
First period, seventh type
Adelchi denaro 7.svg
ADELCHIS monogram surmounted by ∇; on the right a monstrance, on the left a cross.• BENE – • – BENTV; cross on three steps set aside by the letters M and H (Mihael).
Second period, first type
Adelchi denaro 8.svg
+ LVDOVVICVS IMPE; spike with two stems set aside by letters A and R (Archangelus).ADELHIS PRINCES (mirrored S); patriarchal cross set aside by letters M and H (Mihael)
Second period, second type
Adelchi denaro 9.svg
In the field, in four lines I / LVDO / VVICV / P (Ludovicus Imperator)+ ARHANGELMIHAEL ADELHIS. In the center in three lines P / ADEL / R (Adelchis Princeps)

By the time Adelchis became prince, no gold coins had been minted in Benevento for about fifteen years, and the only coinage metal remained silver. The principality had thus aligned itself with the prevailing trend in Europe. [4]

Background

The minted silver coin was the denier, the coinage of which in the principality had begun, alongside the production of gold coins, with Grimoald III (787-806) when Charlemagne had already conquered the Lombard kingdom in 774. The deniers had similar characteristics to those minted in the same period by the papacy and the Franks. [4] [5] Recurrent types were those with a monogram of the prince's name and the cross on the steps used in solidi and tremisses .

With Grimoald IV (806-817) a new type had appeared: on the obverse an ear of corn and on the reverse a cross juxtaposed by four lozenges. Also with the same prince in the legends of the deniers was placed the dedication to the archangel Michael; the archangel was protector and symbol of the Lombards and was the object of special worship.

Under Sico (817-832), who succeeded Grimoald, the earlier types were again used, with the obverse bearing the legend PRIHCES BEHEBEH - TI around the cruciform monogram SICO [6] and the reverse bearing the traditional long cross of the Lombards with the legend dedicated to the archangel Michael.

Under Sico's son and successor, Sicard (832-839), a new cruciform monogram with the letters SICARD was used in the deniers. [7]

Adelchis

Adelchis' coinage reflects the international political problems experienced by the principality of Benevento during his time as prince. The coinage is divided into four periods, each of which - with the exception of the fourth - has multiple types. [8] [9]

PeriodKnown types
Adelchis alone853-8677
Adelchis and Louis867-8702
Louis, alone or with Angilberga870-8717
Adelchis and John VIII8711

First period

The first period of Adelchis' coinage was that which bore only the prince's name and is attested from 853 to 867. There were seven types used.

The first one [10] on the obverse presented in the field, on three lines, the legend + / ADEL' / PRIN and on the reverse a cross set aside by four lozenges, surrounded by the legend - ARHANGEMIHAE ("Archangel Michael"), very similar to the reverse of the deniers of Grimoald IV with the spike, part of the Lombard coinage of Benevento. [9] [11] [12] The title used was that of prince and the dedication was to the archangel Michael.

The second type [13] had the traditional cross on steps on the obverse with the legend ADELHIS PRINCE around it, while on the reverse, within the legend A - RHANGELVMICHAEL, there was a cross, potent in the horizontal shaft and with seven globules on each arm of the vertical shaft.

The third type [14] had in the field the letters P ADL R (Adelchi Princeps) arranged in three lines to form a cross, surrounded by the legend + SANCTA MARIA. [15]

The fourth type [16] had the cruciform monogram SΠAR (Sancta Maria) [17] in the center and the cross potent on the reverse, while in the fifth one [18] the cross, Latin this time, was on the obverse, set aside by the letters Α and ω; the cruciform monogram SΠAR was on the reverse. Cagiati lists two variants for this coin, with minor differences in the legends. [19] In both coins the letter "M" of Mary's monogram is written similarly to the letter "Π" (capital pi) of the Greek alphabet.

The sixth type [20] featured the so-called "Carolingian temple," already used by Charlemagne. In his fourth coinage, dated 812-814, Charles had introduced the type of deniers with an imperial, Roman-style portrait used for the obverse. One of the reverses featured a peristyle (i.e., four-columned) temple surrounded by the legend XPICTIANA RELIGIO (Christiana religio), in which Greek letters were also used in the Latin text: "Χ" (chi), "Ρ" (rho) and "С" (lunate sigma), instead of "ch," "r" and "s," respectively. [21] The temple motif was also used in the coinage of Louis the Pious, [22] with differences in the legend, which became XPISTIANA RELIGIO with the letter "S" instead of Charles' lunate sigma. [23] [24] The temple used by Adelchis had a tympanum on the apex of which was a cross, while there were two columns, separated by a small cross placed in the center. The legend was ADELCHIS PRIN. The reverse depicted a cross on steps surrounded by the legend S-C-A-M ARIA (Sancta Maria). [15] [19]

The seventh type [25] presented on the obverse a monogram of the name Adelchis [26] surmounted by a "∇" and flanked on the right by a cross and on the left by a monstrance. On the reverse the coin featured the legend - BENE - - - BENTV around a cross on three steps flanked by the letters "M" and "H" (for Michael Angelus). This coin featured types taken from a denier minted by Grimoald III more than half a century earlier; in the latter denier the monogram on the obverse consisted of the letters forming Grimoald's name. On the reverse of Grimoald's denier the cross was set aside by the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet (Α and ω). [27] [28]

Second period

In the second period the name of Louis II appeared alongside the name of Adelchis. After the reconquest of Bari, Louis had settled in Benevento. This situation is evidenced by the issues of this period, those of the years 867-871, which saw deniers coined with the joint names of Adelchis and Louis II. [28] [29] There were two types used in this second period.

The first had on the obverse the image of the ear already used by Grimoald IV [30] with the legend + LVDOVICVSIMPE around it; on the reverse, a patriarchal cross set aside by the letters "M" and "H" (for Michael) and the legend + ADELHIS PRINCES, with the last "S" mirrored. [31]

The other denier on the obverse had in the field the legend I | LVDO | VVICV | ^ P ^ (Ludovicus Imperator) and on the reverse the letters P ADEL R (Adelchis princeps) arranged on three lines to form a cross, while around it was the legend + ARHANGELMIHAEL.

Third period

In the third period, deniers were issued in Louis' name alone or with his wife Angilberga; these coins are dated between the years 870 and 871. [28] [29]

In this case the types used were mostly taken from earlier imperial coinage: the Carolingian temple, the cross with the legend + XPSTIANARELIGI (christiana religio) and others. In a group of coins the legend BENVENTV CIBI, BENEVENTUM or similar appears.

In other coins the name of Louis' wife appeared in the form of ANGILBERGA, accompanied by titles such as DMA (domina), IMP (imperatrix) or AGVSTA (augusta), with various spellings. [28] [29]

Fourth period
Adelchi denaro 17.svg
+ ADELGI • PRN; in the field cruciform monogram IOHAIn the field SCAMR (Sancta Maria); at the top and bottom two rosettes

As many as seven types are known for this period, which, with variations, add up to thirteen different coins; Cagiati [29] identifies them with the letters "A" to "G."

ObverseReverse
A+ LVDOVVICVS IMPE; baptismal crossBENEBENTI CIBI; carolingian temple
B+ IM / LVDO / VVICV P :• (Ludovicus Imperator) on four lines in the field+ XPSTIANARELIGI (mirrored S); long rod cross set aside by ω and Α;
C+ HLVDOVICVS (horizontal S) IMP R; cross in a beaded circleBENE / BEN / TVM in the field on three lines
D+ DOMLVDOVVICVS; IMP in the field+ DMA • ANGILBERGA; IMP in the field
E+ LVDOVICVS INP; cross on steps; small globe at left.+ • / ANGIL / BERGA / INP in the field on four lines.
F+ LVDOVIGVS INP; cross on steps.+ ANGILBERGA NP; baptismal cross.
G+ LVDOVICVS IMPE; cruciform monogram with the letters ACVS (Agustus).+ ANGILBERGA IΠP; in the center AGV / STA on two lines.

Fourth period

In the fourth period coins were minted in the joint name of Adelchis and Pope John VIII. [32] From this period, dated 871, only one type is known, which had on the obverse the legend ADELGI - PRN around a cruciform monogram with the letters IOHA (Iohannes, the pope's name in Latin) and on the reverse, in the field, the legend SCAMR (Sancta Maria). [29] [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euthydemus I</span> Greco-Bactrian king and founder of the Euthydemid dynasty

Euthydemus Ic. 260 BC – 200/195 BC) was a Greco-Bactrian king and founder of the Euthydemid dynasty. He is thought to have originally been a satrap of Sogdia, who usurped power from Diodotus II in 224 BC. Literary sources, notably Polybius, record how he and his son Demetrius resisted an invasion by the Seleucid king Antiochus III from 209 to 206 BC. Euthydemus expanded the Bactrian territory into Sogdia, constructed several fortresses, including the Derbent Wall in the Iron Gate, and issued a very substantial coinage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo</span> Roman Catholic sanctuary on Mount Gargano, Apulia, Italy

The Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel is a Roman Catholic shrine on Mount Gargano, Italy, part of the commune of Monte Sant'Angelo, in the province of Foggia, northern Apulia. It has the dignity of a minor basilica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustalis</span>

An augustalis or augustale, also agostaro, was a gold coin minted in the Kingdom of Sicily beginning in 1231.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duchy of Benevento</span> Lombard state in present-day southern Italy from 577 to 1053

The Duchy of Benevento was the southernmost Lombard duchy in the Italian Peninsula that was centred on Benevento, a city in Southern Italy. Lombard dukes ruled Benevento from 571 to 1077, when it was conquered by the Normans for four years before it was given to the Pope. Being cut off from the rest of the Lombard possessions by the papal Duchy of Rome, Benevento was practically independent from the start. Only during the reigns of Grimoald and the kings from Liutprand on was the duchy closely tied to the Kingdom of the Lombards. After the fall of the kingdom in 774, the duchy became the sole Lombard territory which continued to exist as a rump state, maintaining its de facto independence for nearly 300 years, although it was divided after 849. Benevento dwindled in size in the early 11th century, and was completely captured by the Norman Robert Guiscard in 1053.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nezool</span> King of Aksum

Nezool was a king of the Kingdom of Aksum. He is primarily known from the coins minted during his reign, where his name also appears as Nezana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arechis II of Benevento</span> 8th-century Italian duke

Arechis II was a Duke of Benevento, in Southern Italy. He sought to expand the Beneventos' influence into areas of Italy that were still under Byzantine control, but he also had to defend against Charlemagne, who had conquered northern Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelchis of Benevento</span>

Adelchis was the son of Radelchis I, Prince of Benevento, and successor of his brother Radelgar in 854.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medieval Bulgarian coinage</span>

Medieval Bulgarian coinage were the coins minted by the Bulgarian Emperors during the Middle Ages at the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

Manso was a Lombard viceduke (vicedux) who ruled the Duchy of Amalfi during the reign of Roger Borsa, the Norman Duke of Apulia. He is known only from his coins: large, copper follari bearing the inscription MANSO VICEDUX on the reverse. Irregular and poor in quality, mostly overstrikes of Salernitan coins, they were originally attributed to Manso of Salerno (981–83).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visigothic coinage</span> Middle Age coinage from Gaul and Hispania

The coinage of the Visigoths was minted in Gaul and Hispania during the early Middle Ages, between the fifth century and approximately 710.

The English shilling was a silver coin of the Kingdom of England, when first introduced known as the testoon. A shilling was worth twelve pence, and there were 20 shillings to the pound sterling. The English shilling was introduced in the 16th century and remained in circulation until it became the British shilling as the result of the Union of England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasanian Iberia</span> Period of Sasanian suzerainty over Iberia

Sasanian Iberia refers to the period the Kingdom of Iberia was under the suzerainty of the Sasanian Empire. The period includes when it was ruled by Marzbans (governors) appointed by the Sasanid Iranian king, and later through the Principality of Iberia.

<i>Signum manus</i> Medieval European practice of signing with a type of monogram or royal cypher

Signum manus refers to the medieval European practice of signing a document or charter with a special type of monogram or royal cypher. The practice is documented from at least the Merovingian period until the 14th century in the Frankish Empire and its successors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lombard coinage</span> Currency

The coinage of the Lombards refers to the autonomous productions of coins by the Lombards. It constitutes part of the coinage produced by Germanic peoples occupying the former territory of the Roman Empire during the Migration Period. All known Lombard coinage was produced after their settlement of Italy. The coinage originates from two distinct areas, in Langobardia Major between the last decades of the sixth century and 774, and in Langobardia Minor, in the duchy of Benevento, between approximately 680 and the end of the 9th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasanian coinage</span> Coins of the Sasanian Empire

Sasanian coinage was produced within the domains of the Iranian Sasanian Empire (224–651). Together with the Roman Empire, the Sasanian Empire was the most important money-issuing polity in Late Antiquity. Sasanian coinage had a significant influence on coinage of other polities. Sasanian coins are a pivotal primary source for the study of the Sasanian period, and of major importance in history and art history in general. The Sylloge nummorum Sasanidarum is the most important primary work of reference for Sasanian coins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Salerno (871–872)</span> Aghlabid campaign in Sicily

The siege of Salerno was one of the campaigns of the Aghlabids in southern Italy during their conquest of Sicily. The Lombard city of Salerno had strong defences and, despite the use of stone-throwing artillery, the siege lasted a little over a year from its beginning in late 871 or early 872. Prince Guaifer of Salerno led the defence, but the siege was only lifted by the arrival of an army of Lombards and Franks under the Emperor Louis II.

The coinage of Suessa concerns coins minted in Suessa, a city in ancient Campania inhabited by the Aurunci, an ancient Italic population. The city minted coins in the period between 268 B.C. and the Second Punic War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coinage of Capua</span> Coinage of Capua, Italy

The coinage of Capua concerns coins minted in ancient Capua, a city in ancient Campania, corresponding to present-day Santa Maria Capua Vetere. The city was located on the Appian Way and was the most important in the area, probably the largest center in the Italian peninsula after Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coinage of Cales</span> Coinage of Cales, Italy

The coinage of Cales concerns coins minted in Cales, a city in Campania, the most important urban center of the ancient Italic population of the Ausones. Cales was located on the Via Latina, halfway between the mountains of Samnium and the plains of Campania felix, a few kilometers north of Casilinum and just south of Teanum Sidicinum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lombard coinage of Benevento</span> Lombard coinage of Benevento, Italy

The Lombard coinage of Benevento, part of the more general Lombard coinage, is the set of coins minted between about 680 and the end of the ninth century in the duchy and principality of Benevento. Solidi and tremisses, both gold coins that imitated those of the Eastern Roman Empire, were first minted; later followed the issuance of coins in the names first of the dukes and then of the Benevento princes. Toward the end of the 8th century alongside the gold coins were minted silver coins, which gradually took the place of the earlier ones, as moreover happened in the rest of Western Europe. Silver became the prevalent coinage metal only from the mid-9th century.

References

  1. ↑ Grierson, Philip; Blackburn, Mark (1986). Medieval European Coinage: Volume 1, The Early Middle Ages (5th-10th Centuries). Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-03177-6.
  2. ↑ Werz, Ulrich. "Wroth, Warwick: Catalogue of the coins of the Vandals, Ostrogoths and Lombards, and of the empires of Thessalonica, Nicaea and Trebizond in the British Museum, PLATES 1-42, London 1911".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ↑ "Corpus Nummorum Italicorum Vol. XVIII" (PDF).
  4. 1 2 MEC 1, p. 71.
  5. ↑ Cagiati, pp. 80-82.
  6. ↑ Cagiati, pp. 87-89.
  7. ↑ Cagiati, pp. 96-97.
  8. ↑ MEC 1, p. 576; BMC Vand, pp. 183-186.
  9. 1 2 Cagiati, pp. 109-115.
  10. ↑ Cagiati, type A; BMC Vand, type 1.
  11. ↑ Grimoald IV denaro 01.svg
  12. ↑ BMC Vand, p. 183.
  13. ↑ Cagiati, B; BMC Vand, 2.
  14. ↑ Cagiati, C; BMC Vand, 3.
  15. 1 2 BMC Vand, p. 184.
  16. ↑ Cagiati, D; BMC Vand, 4.
  17. ↑ Monogram SMAR.svg SΠAR monogram.
  18. ↑ Cagiati, E; BMC Vand, 5.
  19. 1 2 Cagiati, p. 111.
  20. ↑ Cagiati, F; BMC Vand, 6; MEC 1, 1113-1114.
  21. ↑ MEC 1, p. 209.
  22. ↑ Denier Louis le Pieux.jpg A denier of Louis the Pious.
  23. ↑ MEC 1, p. 213, 216.
  24. ↑ MEC 1, 791-810.
  25. ↑ Cagiati, G; BMC Vand, 7; MEC 1, 1115.
  26. ↑ Adelchis monogram.svg ADELCHIS monogram.
  27. ↑ Grimoald denaro bmc XXIII 12.svg Grimoald's denier: BMC Vand, pl. XXIII, 12.
  28. 1 2 3 4 BMC Vand, p. 185.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 Cagiati, pp. 112-115.
  30. ↑ Grimoald IV denaro 01.svg Denier of Grimoald IV.
  31. ↑ BMC Vand, p. 185; Cagiati, pp. 112 type A; MEC 1, –.
  32. 1 2 BMC Vand, p. 186.

Bibliography

Lombard coinage
Catalogs
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.