Catalog
Follis - Gisulf II castle
| Issuer | Principality of Salerno |
|---|---|
| Year | 1052-1077 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A schematic representation of a multi-towered castle or fortified citadel occupying the central field, depicted with crenellated towers, a central gateway with an arch, and flanking turrets surmounted by finials or crosses, rendered in the flat, linear style typical of Lombard-Norman Southern Italian coinage. The architectural composition is enclosed by a circular Latin legend in the surrounding field. |
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| Reverse lettering | OPVLENTA SALERNV (Translation: Opulent Salerno.) |
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| Additional information |
Gisulf II, the last Lombard prince of Salerno, struck these bronzes during a reign defined by his catastrophically poor relationship with the Normans consolidating power around him. His refusal to accommodate Robert Guiscard ultimately cost him his principality in 1077, when Salerno fell after a lengthy siege — ending Lombard rule in the south of Italy entirely. These coins belong to a polity with an expiration date its ruler refused to acknowledge.