Migration Period, Vandals – Hilderic (r. 523-530 AD) Silver 50 Denarii, Carthage – Excellent for Type

Description Early Middle Ages. Migration Period. Germanic Tribes - the Vandals in North Africa. Hilderic (r. 523-530 AD) AR (Silver) 50 denarii or 500 nummi. Mint of Carthage. XF; exceptional for the type, with most of the legends visible and a fine portrait. Hilderic was the grandson of the Vandals' greatest king Gaiseric (r. 428-477 AD) on his father's side and of the Roman emperor Valentinian III (r. 425-455 AD) on his mother's side, a highly illustrious pedigree compared to most of his post-Roman Germanic counterparts. Hilderic was overthrown by his cousin Gelimer in 530 AD, which gave the eastern Roman emperor Justinian the Great a pretext to invade and conquer Carthage and the whole Vandal realm, which he did in 533 AD.   Design: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Hilderic right / Personification of Carthage (Karthago) standing facing, holding three grain ears in each hand; legend FELIX KARTG (Happy Carthage) Reference: BMC Vandals 3-6. MEC 1, 21-2. Dimensions: 15 mm / 1.21 gm Condition: XF; thin flan crack, lightly toned. A fine example of this rare type, and an important issue symbolizing the fusion of Roman and Germanic cultures that occurred in the fifth and sixth centuries.