Aureus of Postumus with Graffiti of the Gothic Name Gunthijaz

A masterpiece of ancient coinage created under the unique conditions of rivalry between two emperors – Galienus, ruling in Rome, and Postumus, sometimes called the usurper, who ruled the Imperium Galliarum with headquarters in today’s Cologne (Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium). The images and inscriptions (legends) refer to the emperor’s virtues and light. There is a jugate bust of Postumus and Hercules on the obverse, and on the reverse those of Sol (Sun) and Luna (Moon) and the legend CLARITAS AVG – the splendour (of power) of the august. The reverse features a graffito which makes this coin a unique epigraphic document. It is the word Gounthiou (Gothic: Gunthijaz) inscribed in the Greek alphabet in the genitive, denoting the name of the person to whom the coin belonged, and two further characters: iota and phi (I and F). The hole proves that the coin served as an ornament in Barbaricum, namely a pendant worn around the neck, probably a kind of a “medal” – a distinction or a sign of prestige. Presumably, its owner was a warrior (the name Gunthijaz is etymologically linked to “battle”), who served in Gallienus’ auxiliary troops at the legio X Fretensis.
There is abundant literature on the relic.
Full literature:
Degler Adam, Aureus of Postumus with the owner’s graffito (Gounthiou) [w:] Proceedings of XV International Numismatic Congress: Taormina 2015, red. Maria Caccamo Caltabiano, Rome 2017, t. II, s. 723-726. .
Interpretations:
Bursche Aleksander, The Battle of Abritus, the Imperial Treasury and Aurei in Barbaricum, “The Numismatic Chronicle” 173, London 2013, pp. 151–170;
Mees Bernard, Early Gothic numismatic [h]rustis and γουνθ/ιου, “Beiträge zur Geschichte der deutschen Sprache und Literatur”, 140, 4, Boston 2018, pp. 449–457;
Bursche Aleksander, A unique aureus of Faustina II with the legend MATER CASTRORVM from a Late Roman area of hoards in the Southern Baltic Region, “Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology: Monographic Series” 1, Cluj-Napoca 2020, pp. 133–148.
Participation in exhibition:
H. Neumayer, S. Olschok, Katalog der in der Austellung gezeigten Funde (Auswahl) [in:] G. Uelsberg; M. Wemhoff (coll.), Germanen. Eine archäologische Bestandsaufnahme, Berlin 2020, pp. 565–583 (p. 580, no 7.26).