Tremissis - Aelia Pulcheria Cross within wreath, Constantinopolis

Pulcheria was sixteen when she assumed the role of Augusta and regent for her younger brother Theodosius II in 414 AD, an extraordinary political maneuver that she consolidated partly through a public vow of virginity — shrewdly removing herself from dynastic marriage politics while retaining imperial authority. Her name appearing on coinage within two years of that regency declaration is a direct reflection of how completely she had secured her position at the Constantinople court.

The tremissis as a denomination had been a fixture of late Roman gold coinage since Valentinian I, but issues bearing Pulcheria's name are relatively scarce survivors given the brevity of her formal co-regency before Theodosius came of age.