about ancient nomos
Ancient Nomos Art is a museum of galleries exhibiting ancient coins and ancient mint maps. The coin gallery displays the diverse art and history of hand-crafted ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Persian and Medieval coinage. The ancient mints mapping gallery features Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Asia Minor and Medieval mint city regions and territories. Visitor's are welcome to explore, study and enjoy Ancient Nomos Art.
Medieval, Venice – 1280 AD
Doge Contarini
From Ancient Galleries
Obverse: Christ Pantocrator nimbate, seated facing enthroned with annulet on robe; pellet to the right of throne's left leg and between Christ's feet, IC-XC across.
Reverse: Doge Contarini to left and St. Mark with halo to right, both standing facing and holding banner between them; D/V/X vertically to right of Doge.
LEGEND
Obv: IA • CNTARIN to left, • S • M • VЄNЄTI to right, Doge Contarini and St. Mark standing facing, holding banner between them. DVX to right of Contarini vertically along side of banner. Rev: Christ Pantocrator nimbate facing enthroned; IC XC across fields; pellet beside right leg and between feet.
Jacopo Contarini was the 47th Doge of Venice, from 1275 AD to his abdication in the spring of 1280 AD. This remarkable Venetian coin exemplifies the best in medieval art and design. The obverse depicts the bare-headed Contarini, with shoulder length hair covering his ears, as he stands facing Saint Mark, the patron Saint of Venice. He is wearing a beard and moustache, dressed in the Doge’s richly ornamented loros robe decorated with precious gems in two vertical rows. He is seen holding a short cylindrical scroll with jeweled ends called an akakia in his left hand, while he receives a banner from Saint Mark in his right hand. Saint Mark is also depicted with beard and moustache, but has his hair cropped above the ears and is shaved bald on top in a monk’s tonsure. He has a granulated holy nimbus encircling his head. He is dressed in the usual sticharia and short mantle, while holding the Gospels decorated with five gems on his chest with left hand. Each holds the banner flag of Venice with extended right hands. Decorative pellets on the Saint’s right breast form the Christian cross. To the right of Contarini is the Doge title, DVX, in Latin. The reverse features facing Christ Pantocrator; as he sits enthroned on a broad, fully upholstered square-backed chair, with frame embellished in patterns of pellets. Christ’s hair is long with a center part and also has a beard and a mustache with a granulated nimbus halo with an inscribed cross behind his head, flanked by the legend IC – XC, Greek for Jesus Christ. He is wearing a tunic hiton garment, belted at the waist, and a himation mantle cloth draped over the left shoulder and body. His right hand rests in the fold of his vestment, while his left hand supports the reliquary book of Gospel’s, ornamented with a pattern of five precious gems. Christ’s legs are bare, with toes visible, and his right foot is inclined to the left.
DOCUMENTATION
Value: Grosso. Metal: AR Silver. Weight: 2.19 grams. Mint: Venice. Date: 1275-1280 AD.
Attribution: Corpus Nummorum Italicurum VII 5; Papadopoli 2 (variety); Segno 8; Paolucci 1.
Legend, Documentation and Attribution