Anthemius, 25th March 467 – 30th June 472
Solidus, Mediolanum 467-472, AV 21 mm, 4.39 g. D N ANTHEMI – VS PERPET AVG Helmeted, pearl- diademed and draped bust facing, holding spear over r. shoulder. Rev. SALVS REI – PV – BLICAE Two emperors, in military attire, standing facing, holding spears and supporting between them a globe surmounted by cross; in centre field, MD. In exergue, COMOB. RIC 2890. LRC 913. Depeyrot 29/1. Lacam 104. Ulrich Bansa 121. Rare. Several edge marks, possibly traces of mounting, otherwise about extremely fine

Ex Hirsch XXXIII, 1913, Baron F. von Schennis; Sotheby’s 1 July 1982, Brand, 83; Sotheby’s 6 November 1997, 213 and Leu 86, 2003, 1064 sales.

When the shadowy emperor Libius Severus (Severus III) died in November, 465, the Western Roman Empire existed without an emperor for more than a year - the whole time, however, the all-powerful general Ricimer continued to make command decisions, he just did so without a figurehead on the throne. The situation had clearly gotten out of hand in the eyes of the Eastern emperor, Leo I, who appointed Procopius Anthemius, a high-ranking Constantinopolitan of Galatian descent, to rule in the West. Shortly before to Anthemius' arrival in Rome on April 12, 457, he wisely offered his daughter's hand in marriage to Ricimer, whose support would be essential if he wished to stay in power. Ricimer accepted the offer for political reasons, but he always viewed Anthemius as a threat to his own supremacy. Anthemius was never popular with the Romans who were prejudiced towards his 'Eastern Greek' ancestry. After an armada of 1,100 ships Leo I sent against the Vandals in 468 was destroyed due to the incompetence of its commander, Basiliscus, and because Anthemius had not effectively dealt with the Visigoths who threatened Gaul, what little support existed for his regime quickly eroded. In 472, Ricimer arranged a coup in which Anthemius was murdered and replaced with a more malleable candidate from the East, the patrician Olybrius.