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1/4 Siliqua In the name of Justin II, Open staurogram with dot above
| Issuer | Lombardy |
|---|---|
| Year | 568-690 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 0.49 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | An open staurogram (Christogram cross with the rho element) occupies the centre of the field, with a small dot or pellet positioned above the crossbar, and a six-pointed star in each lateral field. The entire device is enclosed within a wreath border rendered in the hammered style. The composition is bold and schematic, consistent with Lombard ecclesiastical-influenced coinage of the late sixth to seventh century. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Lombards entered Italy in 568 under Alboin, displacing Byzantine authority across the north with unusual speed, yet their earliest silver coinage mimicked imperial types — invoking Justin II's name on coins struck decades after any meaningful Byzantine presence in Lombardy had collapsed. This was political theater in metal: legitimacy borrowed from Constantinople by a people who had just dismantled its administrative reach.
The open staurogram variant with dot above is a recognized sub-type within this series, distinguishable from related issues catalogued across DOC, MEC, and BMC — the slight divergence in cross form reflecting workshop variation rather than intentional iconographic revision.