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Nummus in the name of Zeno Carthage mint, type 2
| Issuer | Vandal Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 474-500 |
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| Currency | Denarius (440-534) |
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| Obverse description | Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Emperor Zeno facing right, rendered in a debased late antique style characteristic of Vandal coinage. The effigy is surrounded by a largely illegible legend, the degenerate letter-forms reflecting the declining engraving standards of the Carthage mint during this period. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Vandals, having sacked Rome in 455 and established firm control over North Africa, produced coinage in the names of reigning Eastern emperors as a deliberate political gesture — projecting legitimacy without submission. Zeno, who ruled the Eastern Empire from 474 to 491, was a useful fiction: his name appeared on Vandal bronzes while his actual authority over Carthage was nonexistent. The arrangement suited both parties well enough that no military confrontation was pressed during his reign.
Carthage's mint infrastructure, inherited from Roman provincial operations, produced these tiny nummi in considerable volume for petty transactions. BMC Vandal 127 represents the second recognized type in this series.