Arcadius, Roman Emperor ; Honorius, Roman Emperor ; Theodosius II, Roman Emperor ; Theodosius I, Roman Emperor

Rome

1 Nomisma = 1 Solidus

Copper alloy (bronze or brass)

Struck

Disc or similar (ellipse, etc.)

2.10 cm

2.10 cm

- cm

Mass (g)	Mass (grain)	Date of measurement	Reference	fragmented	cleaned	reference weight
4.16	-	-	(scientific literature)	No	No	Yes

Symbol	Technique	Direction	Position	Number	Synecdoche
Roman Emperor	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck	FACING		Three	Bust
Aequitas / Justitia / Moneta	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck	LEFT	Standing	One
Balance scale	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck			One
Cornucopia	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck			One
Laurel wreath	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck			One
Palm tree	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck			Two

Auction Roma 2016: Lot 646. Theodosius I, with Arcadius and Honorius, Æ Exagium Solidi Weight. Constantinople, AD 402-408. DDD NNN GGG, diademed and draped facing busts of Honorius, Theodosius, and Arcadius respectively / EXAGIVM SOLIDI, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; wreath between palm branches in exergue. Bendall, Byzantine Weights 9; Sabatier 8; Cf. Göbl, Antike 228-9; RIC X, p. 8. 4.16g, 21mm, 5h. Extremely Fine, and of excellent style. Unaltered by piercing or plugging, thus, Extremely Rare. Official solidus weights, based on a standard 'imperial pound', came into being with the law of Julian of AD 363, which established a zygostates - an official weigher of solidi in each city to restore confidence in the solidus, which had become subject to widespread clipping. Exagium derives from the Latin exigere to drive out" - in this case, the underweight solidi, thereby maintaining an acceptable weight standard necessary for the imperial gold coinage to circulate at full value. Many, if not most, such exagia display holes and/or plugs to bring the exagium to the correct weight. Unmodified exagia are thus a rarity.
Auction Roma 2017: Lot 569. Theodosius I, with Arcadius and Honorius, Æ Exagium Solidi Weight. Constantinople, AD 402-408. DDD NNN GGG, diademed and draped facing busts of Honorius, Theodosius, and Arcadius respectively / EXAGIVM SOLIDI, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae; wreath between palm branches in exergue. Bendall, Byzantine Weights 9; Sabatier 8; Cf. Göbl, Antike 228-9; RIC X, p. 8. 4.16g, 21mm, 5h. Extremely Fine, and of excellent style. Unaltered by piercing or plugging, thus, Extremely Rare. Official solidus weights, based on a standard 'imperial pound', came into being with the law of Julian of AD 363, which established a zygostates - an official weigher of solidi in each city to restore confidence in the solidus, which had become subject to widespread clipping. Exagium derives from the Latin exigere to drive out - in this case, the underweight solidi, thereby maintaining an acceptable weight standard necessary for the imperial gold coinage to circulate at full value. Many, if not most, such exagia display holes and/or plugs to bring the exagium to the correct weight. Unmodified exagia are thus a rarity.
Asolati 2022: Exagia solidi imperiali con indicazione esplicita della funzione: Arcadio, Onorio e Teodosio II, 403–408 d.C., exagium solidi. Zecca non indicata: Roma. D/ DDD NNN GGG; tre busti frontali, affiancati, diademati, drappeggiati e corazzati: quello a s. di dimensioni minori. R/ EXAGIVM SOLIDI; Moneta/Aequitas/Iustitia stante a s. con bilancia e cornucopia; in esergo, [laurel wreath between two palm trees]. b. Roma, E-Sale 33 (04/02/2017), lotto n. 569 = Roma, E-Sale 31 (26/11/2016), lotto n. 646: g 4,16; mm 21; h 5.

No

Language	Technique	Legend type
Latin	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck	Authority, Denomination, Legal status

DDDNNNGGG

EXAGIVM       SOLIDI

D(ominorum) N(ostrorum) (Au)g(ustorum). || Exagium solidi.

LATE ROMAN AND BYZANTINE

FROM 402 TO 408

Auction Roma 2016 and Auction Roma 2017: propose a production date between 402 and 408.
Asolati 2022: suggests a chronological range from 403 to 408.

Name	Date of acquisition	Inventory number
Antiquities Trade	Feb. 4, 2017	None

Reference	Page/Column	Reference (number)	Plate / Figure	Comment
Auction Roma 2016d	None	646	fig.	None
Auction Roma 2017a	None	569	fig.	None
Asolati 2022	259–260	9b	None	None

Asolati 2022: cf. Bendall 1996, –.