Leo I Gold Solidus

Leo I · Eastern Roman Empire

A frontal military portrait and Victory with the long cross place Leo I between Roman command and a fully Christian language of triumph.

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Object number: AG-058
Date: AD 457–474
Denomination: AV Solidus
Material: Gold
Weight: 4.47 g
Grade: MS · Strike 5/5 · Surface 3/5 · Scuff
Certification: NGC Ancients

Record completeness

Evidence, made visible

Object identityDocumented
Physical recordPartly documented
AttributionPartly documented
Legends & imageryNot recorded
ProvenanceNot recorded

The Story Behind the Strike

Leo I was the first eastern emperor crowned by the patriarch of Constantinople, a ceremony that anticipated later Byzantine coronation. His solidus retains the formidable late Roman military bust. On the reverse, Victory carries the long cross, allowing a classical personification to speak an increasingly Christian language of imperial success.