MAURICE TIBERIUS. 582-602 AD. AV Solidus (4.47 gm). Struck indictional 
year 14 (=595/596 AD). Carthage mint. D N mAVRI-C T P P AN I­, helmeted 
facing bust, holding globus cruciger / VICTORI-A AVGG, angel standing 
facing, holding long P-headed cross and globus cruciger; I­/CONOB. DOC I 
228; MIB II 25b; BN 10; SB 549. EF. ($600) From the Jürgen K. Schmidt 
Collection. Ex Monetarium List (December 1995), no. 66. The indiction was 
originally an imperial tax in kind imposed over a specified time period. 
By order of Constantine I in 312 AD this became a standard 15 year cycle, 
essentially of fiscal years starting in September, and thus frequently was 
used as a calendar. Justinian's edict of 537 AD required a regnal or 
indictional year on all documents, and the indictional system was 
occasionally used on coins in place of regnal years, especially at 
Carthage and other western mints.


Triton V Sale, 16 Jan 2002, lot 2269.
 
 Lot sold for $800, plus buyers fees.

By permission of CNG, www.cngcoins.com.