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Nummus - Theodosius II cross in wreath, Cyzicus
| Issuer | Eastern Roman Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 425-435 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Nummus (1⁄7200) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A plain Latin cross with equal-length arms occupies the center of the field, enclosed within a laurel wreath tied at the base. The wreath, composed of densely rendered leaves, frames the Christian cross as the sole device, reflecting the explicitly Christian symbolism adopted on late Roman coinage under the Theodosian dynasty. The mint signature appears in the exergue beneath the wreath. No additional legend or field marks are present, the entire design conveying a stark, devotional simplicity characteristic of the small bronze nummus denomination. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Theodosius II ruled for over four decades — the longest reign of any emperor in Roman or Byzantine history — yet the tiny bronze nummus occupies the lowest rung of a monetary system badly degraded by the fourth century's repeated currency reforms. By the 420s, the nummus existed largely as a token denomination, its purchasing power so negligible that ancient sources barely bother to record prices in it. RIC X 449 is assigned to the Cyzicus mint, one of the eastern empire's most productive and administratively significant mints, located on the Propontis and closely tied to supply chains for the eastern frontier.