Anthemius
Imperator Caesar Procopius Anthemius Augustus
Procopius Anthemius was an eastern aristocrat and son-in-law of the emperor Marcian, sent to Italy as the Eastern court's preferred candidate after the two-year interregnum following Libius Severus's death. Leo I and Ricimer co-operated in his installation in 467. The highlight of his reign was a massive joint eastern-western naval expedition against the Vandals in Africa (468 AD), which ended in catastrophic defeat. The alliance with Ricimer broke down; civil war erupted within Rome itself, and Anthemius was killed by Ricimer's Burgundian troops.
The catastrophic failure of the 468 Vandal expedition, the largest Roman military effort of the century, effectively ended any realistic prospect of reconquering Africa. Without Africa's grain revenue, the Western empire's fiscal foundations were irreparably damaged. Anthemius was the last emperor to make a serious attempt at imperial reconstruction.
Key Events
Coinage
Anthemius struck a moderately active coinage for a late western emperor, reflecting his five-year reign and eastern connections. The SALVATOR REIPVBLICAE (Saviour of the State) type is his most distinctive and is used as a propaganda statement about his role. PAX types also appear. His portrait is more carefully executed than many of his predecessors in this period.
Denominations
Notable Types
- SALVATOR REIPVBLICAE (Saviour of the State), his distinctive type
- PAX AVGVSTI types
- Victoria types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume X,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume V,