When did Constantine the Great reintroduce the solidus for mass circulation?
Constantine the Great reintroduced the solidus for mass circulation in 324 or 325. This gold coin weighed about 4.5 grams and was struck at a rate of 72 to a Roman pound.
Questions about Solidus (coin)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Which mints produced most solidi from the fourth through the eleventh centuries?
The mint at Constantinople produced most solidi from the fourth through the eleventh centuries. Branch mints operated in Trier, Rome, Milan, and Ravenna during the fourth century before Germanic invasions closed many facilities.
How much pure gold did each original solidus contain compared to its total weight?
Each coin contained roughly 189 milligrams of pure gold though actual purity reached 95.8 percent due to refining techniques. The initial design featured the emperor with a spear over his shoulder and remained conventional for over a century in the Eastern Roman Empire from 395 to 537.
What happened to the purity of the solidus under Alexios I Komnenos before it was abolished?
Alexios I Komnenos allowed purity to fluctuate between zero and eight carats during his first eleven years before abolishing the solidus entirely in 1092. Previous rulers like Michael VII Doukas had reduced purity to 14 carats or 58 percent between 1071 and 1078.
Why did the word soldier ultimately derive from solidus referring to gold coins?
The word soldier ultimately derives from solidus referring to the gold coins with which soldiers were paid. In French language evolution solidus changed to soldus then solt then sol and finally sou.