page_title: Anastasius I Dicorus
section_title: Administrative reform and introduction of new coinage
hierarchical_section_title: Anastasius I Dicorus / Administrative reform and introduction of new coinage
context_page_description: Anastasius I was Byzantine Emperor from 491 to 518. He made his career as a government administrator. He came to the throne at the age of 61 after being chosen by the wife of his predecessor, Zeno. His religious tendencies caused tensions throughout his reign. Because his name is distinctly and unmistakably Christian, it indicates that he was born and raised a Christian, in contrast to previous Christian Emperors, most notably Constantine I, who were converts.
  His reign was characterised by improvements in the government, economy, and bureaucracy in the Eastern Roman empire. He is noted for leaving the imperial government with a sizeable budget surplus of 23,000,000 solidus due to minimisation of government corruption, reforms to the tax code, and the introduction of a new form of currency. He is venerated as a saint by the Syriac Orthodox Church on July 29.
context_section_description: Anastasius is famous for showing an uncommon interest in administrative efficiency and issues concerning the economy. Whenever it was possible in governmental transactions, he altered the method of payment from goods to hard currency. This practice decreased the potential for embezzlement and the need for transportation and storage of supplies. It also allowed for easier accounting. He also applied this practice to taxes, mandating that taxes be paid with cash rather than with goods. He eliminated the practice of providing soldiers with their arms and uniforms; instead he allotted each soldier a generous sum of money with which to purchase their own. These changes to imperial policy seem to have worked well; taxpayers often paid smaller tax bills than they had before, while government revenue increased. The increase in revenue allowed the emperor to pay soldiers a higher wage, which attracted native Roman soldiers to the military, as opposed to the barbarian and Isaurian mercenaries which some previous emperors had been forced to rely on. Anastasius is often cited for his "prudent management" of the empire's finances.
  Amidst these reforms, though, Anastasius continued the practice of selling official positions. He sold so many that he has been accused of having facilitated the creation of a civilian aristocracy. This claim is strengthened by the growth in influence of families that often held high level positions in the government, such as the Appiones from Egypt. This has puzzled historians, given that the emperor seems to have minimised government corruption/inefficiency in other areas. Anastasius I also gave official positions to his close friend General Celer, his brother-in-law, his brother, his nephews, and his grand-nephews.
  The complex monetary system of the early Byzantine Empire, which suffered a partial collapse in the mid-5th century, was revived by Anastasius in 498. The new system involved three denominations of gold, the solidus and its half and third; and five of copper, the follis, worth 40 nummi, and its fractions down to a nummus. It would seem that the new currency quickly became an important part of trade with other regions. A follis coin has been found in the Charjou desert, north of the River Oxus. Four solidi from his reign have been recovered as far from the Roman Empire as China. China might seem an unlikely trading partner, but the Romans and the Chinese were probably able to do business via Central Asian merchants travelling along the Silk Roads. Some Roman trading partners attempted to replicate the coins of Anastasius. The currency created by Anastasius stayed in use and circulated widely for long after his reign.
  A 40 nummi coin of Anastasius is depicted on the obverse of North Macedonia's 50 denar banknote, issued in 1996.
caption: The Barberini ivory, a 6th-century ivory diptych representing either Anastasius or Justinian I
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