An area of ancients I would like to acquire more of this year. This is my first one in about a year. I really liked the patina on it & thought it was a lovely coin all around. Justinian I, (527-565 A.D.) Ae 1/2 Follis DN IVSTINI-ANVS PP AVG O: Diademed draped and cuirassed bust right. R: Large K, cross to left, star above and below, officinia gamma to right. 22mm 9.9g Constantinople mint SB 164; Doc 33
Its good to see others acquire Byzantines. If ancient Rome and ancient Greece had a baby, it would be the Byzantine Empire, but overshadowed by its more popular parents. Here is my example of this type:
A super patina, indeed, and your photo is also super. I've been studying Byzantines lately and intend to collect some more as well. I wonder what you all think of Wayne Sayles' introduction of the term "Romaion" to categorize this coinage, considering that the term "Byzantine" seems so localized and specific...
In general, I prefer we not introduce confusion by trying to correct errors of technical fact of political correctness that have been in place seemingly forever. I prefer to use Byzantine simply because more people know what we are talking about. Similarly, I have no use for BCE/CE for BC/AD and don't want to rename Galerius as Maximianus II or Elagabalus as Antoninus Pius III. Frankly, I don't care what the Washington football team wants to call themselves because I don't care for football. At present there are those who wish to make English easier for second language folks by eliminating idioms, grammar and spelling inconsistencies. I'm willing to add Wayne's term to my vocabulary but not to remove the one he finds objectionable.
I'm not sure he objects to the term Byzantine - I just acquired a copy of his Romaoin/Byzantine book but I haven't read it thoroughly yet. A coin like the OP's, minted by Justinian I in Constantinople is unequivocally Byzantine, but there is an argument to be made for a new term that categorizes coinage from the West after the loss of the Western Roman Empire, before the reconquest of Justinian I, and at other times like the rule of Maurice, etc. We accept the term Byzantine to encompass a certain time period. The question is, do we need more specific terminology that accounts for geography?
I haven't heard about that argument. Heck I wouldn't have thought there was one, considering not many actively collect coins from the West between 476 and the Byzantine reconquest. Me personally I say "post-Roman" and "Germanic". I'm curious as to the new names being proposed. BTW I say Byzantine mainly, occasionally using "Eastern Roman" for the earlier coinage.
