Owner Comments:
The death of Emperor Honorius in 423 AD left the Western Roman Empire leaderless. The sole legitimate heir, Valentinian III, was living in exile at Constantinople along with his mother Galla Placidia. To fill the power vacuum, the
magister militum, Castinus, took it upon himself to declare a new Emperor,
Johannes (ca. 380 - 425 AD) briefly ruled as Western Roman Emperor after the death of Augustus Honorius in 423 AD. Technically, Johannes is considered as a usurper since he was never recognized by Eastern Augustus Theodosius II. Although he did not hail of an imperial bloodline, he was chosen as a Johannes was a high ranking civil servant, specifically, before his ascension he served as the
primicerius notariorum (senior notary).
was Lack of Dynastic Lineage: The Eastern Emperor, Theodosius II, felt the Western throne belonged to the Theodosian dynasty. He intended to install his cousin, the young Valentinian III, to ensure the unity of the imperial family.
Official Recognition: Because Theodosius II never recognized Johannes, the Eastern court viewed him as an illegitimate placeholder. Following his defeat, he was effectively scrubbed from the "official" lists of legitimate emperors to legitimize the installation of the Theodosian-backed Valentinian III.
Coin Details: WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE, Johannes, AE4 (1.03g, 11mm), Rome mint, NGC Grade: F, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 3/5, Obverse: Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right, D N IOHANNES P F AVG, Reverse: Victory advancing left, holding trophy and dragging captive; staurogram to left, SALVS REI PVBLICE, References: Cf. RIC 1913, 1920 & 1923.
Image: NGC PhotoVision Plus.