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The Vandal Kingdom, a Germanic state established in North Africa, was a fleeting presence in the tumultuous landscape of the 5th and 6th centuries AD. Its last king, Gelimer (480-553 AD), ruled during a time of great upheaval and ultimately led the kingdom to its downfall. This nummus, minted in Carthage during his reign, offers a glimpse into this turbulent era.
The coin's design is simple yet evocative, its condition is worn yet recognizable, and its denomination is diminutive yet emblematic. While not as elaborate as contemporaneous coins struck by the Byzantine Empire, surviving Vandal coins nonetheless provide a testament to their tenacity and resourcefulness. This specific example is a nummus struck in bronze. Its small size and low mass reflect the economic challenges faced by the Vandal Kingdom, which struggled to maintain its independence against the encroaching Byzantine Empire. Admittedly difficult to discern on this particular coin, the obverse features a diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust facing right. Positive identification of the figure can be found on the coin’s reverse, which features Gelimer’s unmistakable monogram within a wreath.
Through his coinage, Gelimer advertised his authority and the independence of his Vandal Kingdom as the dominant realm of the southwestern Mediterranean rim. The reminder was particularly important; at that time, Byzantine Emperor Justinian I was determined to reclaim the lost territories of the Roman Empire in the west. To this end, the Byzantine army invaded North Africa in 533 AD, culminating in the capture of Carthage and the defeat of Gelimer the following year.
Gelimer's fatal mistake was his decision to abandon the defense of Carthage, the Vandal capital, in order to pursue a rebellious Vandal general. This strategic error left Carthage vulnerable to attack, and the Byzantine army was able to capture the city without resistance. Gelimer was forced to flee into the countryside, where he was hunted down by Byzantine forces (and more fascinating details can be found in the ancient reference written by Procopius as cited below).
In the end, Gelimer was captured along with the remaining treasures of the Vandal Kingdom and brought back to Constantinople. Although allowed to live out the rest of his life in Galatia, Gelimer would never rule again, marking the end of the Vandal Kingdom.
According to ancient historian Procopius, in the Byzantine capital, Gelimer took part in triumphs and celebrations as the highlight of the Vandal war chest. The ex-King was stripped of his purple and brought before Justinian. Compelled to fall prone on the ground and genuflect, Gelimer kept reciting an excerpt from Hebrew scripture befitting his own fate that and that of his Vandal Kingdom,“
Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
Additional Reading:
De Bello Vandalico (On the Vandal War), comprising the third and fourth books of
De Bellis (On the Wars), Procopius, circa 550 AD.
Coin Details: VANDALS, Gelimer, 530-534, Æ Nummus (9.5mm, 0.66 g, 10h), Carthage, NGC Grade: VF, Strike: 3/5, Surface: 4/5, Obverse: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, GEIL, Reverse: Gelimer monogram within wreath, References: MIB 25; BMC Vandals 4-6; MEC 1, 28-30; Morello 28 (listed as a 2½ nummi).