Chlothar II issued this tremissis from Marseille following his reunification of the Frankish kingdoms in 613, when he finally eliminated Brunhilda — having her executed by being dragged by a horse — and absorbed Burgundy and Austrasia into a single dominion. Marseille remained the wealthiest port in Merovingian Gaul, its Mediterranean trade sustaining a mint that continued producing gold long after northern Frankish mints had collapsed into base metal issues.
The Prou variant designation suggests a die pairing not captured in the primary sequence — not uncommon for Marseille, where multiple moneyers operated with considerable independence.
Chlothar II issued this tremissis from Marseille following his reunification of the Frankish kingdoms in 613, when he finally eliminated Brunhilda — having her executed by being dragged by a horse — and absorbed Burgundy and Austrasia into a single dominion. Marseille remained the wealthiest port in Merovingian Gaul, its Mediterranean trade sustaining a mint that continued producing gold long after northern Frankish mints had collapsed into base metal issues.
The Prou variant designation suggests a die pairing not captured in the primary sequence — not uncommon for Marseille, where multiple moneyers operated with considerable independence.