![ROMAN. Theodosius II, Solidus, Trīcennālia issue [ARI-403] - Image 2](https://colonialcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ARI-403-1.jpg)
Description
Roman Empire, Flāvius Theodosius minor (Theodosius II), Western Roman Emperor of the Theodosian Dynasty 402-450 AD, Gold Solidus (4.46g, 20.5mm), Trīcennālia issue, Constantinople mint 430-440 AD, fourth Officina mark “Δ”. Obverse: Pearl-diademed, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Theodosius II facing forward, head turned slightly to the right, wielding spear and shield; his weapon extends behind and his shield, which is decorated with a horseman motif, rests on his left shoulder, legend surrounds, “DN THEODOSIVS PF AVG”. Reverse: Cōnstantīnopolis enthroned left, helmeted and draped and holding globus cruciger aloft in right hand and sceptre in left, feet resting on prow of galley, shield resting to right on throne, mint and fineness “CON OB” in exergue, legend surrounds, “VOT XXX MVLT XXXX Δ”. RIC X, 257; Depeyrot-81/1. A most handsome Trīcennālia issue or a completion of his 30th anniversary of reign vows and prayers for 40 more, a testament to his long reign which was the longest of any Roman Emperor, lustrous metal and sharp devices, good Extremely Fine, reverse basically Mint State.
The obverse Latin legend is the royal titulature of Western Augustus Theodosius II, reading unabridged as “Dominus Noster, Theodosius, pius fēlīx Augustus”, with an English translation of “our Lord, Theodosius, the blessed and pious Augustus”. The reverse Latin legend is the vows and prayers for Theodosius II’s Trīcennālia, reading unabridged as “vōtīs trīcennālibus, multīs quadrāgennalibus”, with an English translation of “Vows for thirty years (of rule), many more for forty years” – essentially, proclaiming the vows made for thirty years of rule have been fulfilled and wishing more vows for the hope of reaching 40 years of rule. The Latin in the reverse exergue represents the mint and the fineness, reading unabridged as “Cōnstantīnopolis, obryzum”, with an English translation of “of the city of Constantinople, pure gold” – this had an unabridged meaning of “minted in the city of Constantinople, 1/72 of a Roman Pound of pure gold” as “OB” was short for the Latin “obryzum” as well as the Greek numerals for “72”.
