Triton XVII, Lot: 899. Estimate $10000. Sold for $8500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

VISIGOTHS, Spain. Witteric. 603-609. AV Tremissis (19mm, 1.40 g, 6h). Mentesa (La Guardia) mint. + VVITTIRICVS RE :, facing bust / + HENTESΛ PIV(horizontal S), facing bust. CNV 151.6; MV 183(f); cf. Miles, Visigoths 135 (for type); MEC 1 –. Good VF. Very rare.

Witteric, the assassin and successor of Liuva II, had a rather chequered career. He first came to prominence as a co-conspirator of the Arian bishop of Mérida, Sunna, to re-establish heretical Arianism in 589. Under Liuva II, Witteric was given command of an army to drive out the Byzantines from Spain. Instead, Witteric used it to invade the royal palace and depose the young king. Witteric had the king’s right hand cut off, and later had him condemned and executed.

Witteric’s reign was spent fighting the Byzantines. At the same time, Witteric hoped to form an alliance with the Merovingians by marrying his daughter to Theuderic II. The negotiations went badly, and Witteric was humiliated by having his daughter returned to him without her dowry. Angered by Theuderic’s actions, Witteric formed an alliance with Theuderic’s enemies: Theodobert II of Austrasia, Clotaire II of Neustria, and Agilulf of the Lombards. The alliance, however, came to naught, since Theuderic was contemptuous of it.

In April 610, Witteric was assassinated by a faction of nobles, who dragged his body through the streets around the palace.