Silver played only a small role in Byzantine currency, but under Leo III the Isaurian (reign from 717) a new sort of denomination saw light in the miliaresion, which is a tiny fabric silver coin of only about 2 gram. The inspiration was most likely from the Arabs’ dirham(in which also inspired from the Persians). I already had 2 milliaresions from the Macedonian Dynasty but they were heavily worn. So as the time went on I decided to bid on a milliaresion from Macedonian Dynasty in a far better condition. John Tzimiskes: 2,09gram and 20mm, Sear 1792, minted in Constantinople. Obv: IҺSЧS XRISTЧS ҺICA Rev: IWAҺҺ / ЄҺ Xω AVTO / CRAT ЄVSЄЬ / ЬASILЄVS / RωMAIω. The obverse says “Jesus Christ Conquer “. The reverse I can only understand “John” and “King of the Romans”. I don’t understand the lines number 2 and 3. – If any Greek-speaker knows better then please let me know because David Sear doesn’t offer a dictionary. Grierson neither but I am not quite sure so I will check it later. Here the two heavily worn Miliaresions: John Tzimiskes, the exact same type, Sear 1792 1,9 gram and 21mm, minted in Constantinople. Basil II with Constantine VIII, Miliaresion, Sear 1810. That one has a red/orange element on the edge after I scratched it. 1,8 gram 23mm, minted in Constantinople. Obv: ENTOVTW NICAT' bASILEI C CWNST', Rev: bASIL C CWNSTAN PORFVROG PISTOI bAS' ROMAIW' I only understand ”Basil” and ”King of the Romans” here. Perhaps “in this sign” and “Conquer” but otherwise I am lost. - Perhaps I should note it instead of just relying on my memory. Now i have to go to the library and ask after Sear and Grierson... again. The map during the Macedonian Dynasty: An image of Constantinople:
nice byzantine silver herberto, i'd love to get one of these. there are few folks here that have some of these but not many. i don't have any bronze coins from this byzantine era even other some rough anonymous folles.
Very cool OP-coins, Herberto ... thanks for posting those lil' silver beauties!! I happen to have an example of Basil II with Constantine VIII Ummmm, it's not a milliaresion, but it's still pretty cool ... Anonymous Folles, Basil II & Constantine VIII 1020-1028 AD Christ Pantokrator & Legends on line
Wonderful examples herberto. Here is some addendum to your excellent write up. I'll add some of my coins toward the end to make it easier to follow. The similarity between the Byzantine Miliaresion and the Umayyad Dirham can not be understated. With the iconoclastic policies of Leo III, the miliaresion was clearly modeled after the "minimalist" Islamic approach of the dirham. However, a christian legend with the proclamation of the Emperor and co-Emperor would replace the Arabic legends, but retaining the iconic three-beaded border. This was a huge departure from the clunky and irregular hexagrams of the emperors past. Majority of the miliaresion were struck from melted or re-struck silver coins including dirhams that were exchanged during trade or taken as booty. This can be seen in one of the coins that exists in the DOC collection. Notice the Islamic legends with the outline of the miliaresion: By this time, the legends on Byzantine coins were a mixture of Greek and Latin letters and hence deciphering them is a bit tricky. Below is a gallery of various hexagrams, miliaresion of various denominations, and a dirham for comparison. Greek and Latin legends have been expanded for reference. Hope this helps. Gallery of Coins Byzantine Empire: Heraclius (610-641) Hexagram, Constantinople (Sear-798) Obv: ddNN hЄRACLIЧS ЄT hЄRA CONST; Heraclius left, bearded and Heraclius Constantinus right, without beard, enthroned facing, both wearing cruciform crown and chlamys, holding globus cruciger. Cross between their heads Rev: dЄЧS AdIЧTA ROMANIS; Cross on pellet and three steps, K in right field Obv Latin Legend: ddNN hЄRACLIЧS ЄT hЄRA CONST; Dominorum Nostrorum Heraclius et Heraclius Constantinus; Our Lords, Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine Rev Latin Legend: dЄЧS AdIЧTA ROMANIS; Deus Adiuta Romanis; May God help the Romans Byzantine Empire: Constans II (641-668) AR Hexagram, Constantinople (Sear-998; DOC 57; MIB-152) Obv: Fragmentary inscription; To left, bust of Constans, facing, with long beard, wearing chlamys and crown with cross on circlet in front and behind it, plume. To right, Constantine IV, beardless, wearing chlamys and similar crown without plume. Between heads, cross Rev: dЄЧS AdIЧTA ROMANIS; Cross potent on base over globe on three steps. To left, Heraclius, to right, smaller Tiberius, both beardless, each wearing chlamys and crown with cross Rev Latin Legend: dЄЧS AdIЧTA ROMANIS; Deus Adiuta Romanis; May God help the Romans Byzantine Empire: Constantine IV Pogonatus (668-685) Hexagram, Constantinople (Sear-1168) Obv: dN CONSTA NTIЧSC CONST; Helmeted bust facing slightly right, holding spear and shield Rev: dЄЧS AdIЧTA ROMANIS; Cross potent set on globe on three steps; Heraclius, holding long cross, and Tiberius, holding globus cruciger, standing facing on either side Obv Latin Legend: dN CONSTA NTIЧSC CONST; Dominus Noster Constantinus και Constantin; Our Lord, Constantine and Constans Rev Latin Legend: dЄЧS AdIЧTA ROMANIS; Deus Adiuta Romanis; May God help the Romans Byzantine Empire: Basil I the Macedonian (867-886) AR Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear-1708) Obv: IhSЧS XRISTЧS hICA; Cross potent set on three steps on globe Rev: + bASI / LIOSCЄ / CONSTAN / TINPISTV / bASILIS / ROMEO in 6 lines Obv Hybrid Legend: IhSЧS XRISTЧS hICA; Ιησούς Χριστός Νικά; Jesus Christ the Conqueror Rev Hybrid Legend: + bASILIOS CЄ CONSTANTIN PISTV bASILIS ROMEO; βασίλειος και Κωνσταντίνος πιστοι βασίλεις Ρωμαίων; Basil and Constantine, Faithful Kings of the Romans TO BE CONTINUED
The thin nature of these coins made them fragile and hence you sometimes find them chipped, clipped or cracked. This rare miliaresion suffers from several cracks, but a complete coin in similar grade would cost several thousand dollars! Byzantine Empire: Constantine IX (1042-1055) 2/3 Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear-1835) Obv: H RΛAXЄPNITICA / MP - ΘV. Facing bust of the Virgin orans, nimbate and wearing pallium and maphorium. Rev: ΘKE R Θ KWNCTANTINW ΔECΠOTH TW MONOMAX in five lines Obv Greek Legend: H RΛAXЄPNITICA / MP - ΘV; η Βλαχερνίτισσα / Μήτηρ Θεοῦ; The Blachernitissa / Mother of God Rev Greek Legend: ΘKE R Θ KWNCTANTINW ΔECΠOTH TW MONOMAX; Θεοτόκε βοήθει Κωνσταντῖνω Δεσπότη τῷ Μονομάχω; Mother of God, help Constantine Monomachus the despot Byzantine Empire: Michael VII Ducas (1071-1078) AR 2/3 Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear-1876; DOC-8) Obv: MP - ΘV; Facing bust of the Virgin Mary, holding medallion with the face of the Holy Infant; pellet to left and right Rev: + ΘKЄ / BΘHOЄI / MIXAKΛ / ΔЄCΠOTH / Tω ΔUKA in five lines Obv Greek Legend: MP - ΘV; Μήτηρ Θεοῦ; Mother of God Rev Greek Legend: + ΘKЄ / BΘHOЄI / MIXAKΛ / ΔЄCΠOTH / Tω ΔUKA; Θεοτόκε βοήθει Μιχαήλ Δεσπότη τῷ Δούκας; Mother of God, help Michael Ducas the despot TO BE CONTINUED
Thanks. But there is still more to come and I have yet to address the original question and legends...
Byzantine Empire: Basil II Bulgaroktonos with Constantine VIII (977-989 CE) AR Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear-1810; DOC 17) Obv: ЄN TOVTW NICAT' BASILЄI C CWNST'; Cross crosslet, with X at intersection, on base, globus, and four steps. In field left, facing bust of Basil, bearded, wearing loros and crown with cross and pendilia. In field right, facing bust of Constantine, beardless, wearing chlamys and crown with cross and pendilia. Triple linear border Rev: +BASIL' C CONSTAN' ΠOPFVPOC' ΠISTOI BAS' PWMAIW' with ornament above and beneath. Triple linear border Obv Greek Legend: ЄN TOVTW NICAT' BASILЄI C CWNST'; Εν τούτω νικάτε Βασίλειος και Κωνσταντίνος; In this you will conquer, Basil and Constantine Rev Greek Legend: +BASIL' C CONSTAN' ΠOPFVPOC' ΠISTOI BAS' PWMAIW'; Βασίλειος και Κωνσταντίνος Πορφυρογέννετος Βασιλεις Ρωμαίων; Basil and Constantine Porphyrogennētos, King of the Romans
Byzantine Empire: John I Tzimisces (969-976) AR Miliaresion, Constantinople (Sear-1792; DOC 7b) This particular coin has some doubling on the reverse across each line of the legend. Hence, there is a duplication of the letters... Obv: +IhSЧS XRISTЧS hICA *; Cross crosslet on globus above two steps, circular medallion at center containing facing bust of John with short beard, wearing crown and loros, IW | AN across fields, triple border with eight equally spaced globules. Rev: IWANN’ EN XW AVTOCRAT’ EVSEB' BASILEVS RWMAIW’; -+- above and beneath, triple border with eight equally spaced globules Obv Hybrid Legend: IhSЧS XRISTЧS hICA; Ιησούς Χριστός Νικά; Jesus Christ the Conqueror; IWAN; Iωάννης; John I Rev Hybrid Legend: IWANN’ EN XW AVTOCRAT’ EVSEB' BASILEVS RWMAIW’; Iωάννης έν χριατώ αὐτοκράτωρ ενσεβης Βασιλευς Ρωμαίων; John by the grace of Christ Autocrator and pious King of the Romans
That finishes most of the ones in my collection, so hope these transcriptions help in your miliaresion endeavor . I'll leave the rest for another day
Thank you so much. I will use your posts as education and take notes. Reading the earlier Byzantines is easy to understand and memorize due to Latin, but the Greeks ones are more complicated. Thanks a lot. The library and Philip Grierson’s book can rot after all for a moment until in a distant future.
You don't need to go to the library to learn about Byzantine coins as almost everything is available on the web for free including scholarly journals, catalogs, and university blogs. They are all legally available, and hence not pirated. You just need to be good at using Google Search and Google Translate as well being creative in what you are looking for . Most of my transliterations were done this way and I didn't even step into a library or purchase a book. This includes just about ANY language, other than Mongolian which I am currently having problems with BTW, Grierson's Byzantine Coinage book is available for free at DOC: http://www.doaks.org/resources/publ...zantine-coinage/byzcoins.pdf/at_download/file as well as Andreas Urs Sommer's Katalog der Byzantinischen Münzen: http://www.univerlag.uni-goettingen.de/handle/3/isbn-3-930457-30-X Regards, QG
Really sorry to bump this up. But I was just studying it without giving it a deeper attention when Quant.Geek said that his John has “doubling”. I thought that it was just a mistake from the coinmaker where he struck it twice, but it really doesn’t look like it was a mistake. It appears the diet itself had the doubling engraved. Can anyone tell me why? Note that the ornaments of mine and Quant.Geek’s differ also. Is Quant.Geek’s coin a certain rarity of the same type coin? Here a comparison where I marked the doubling: Why does it have a doubling?
The theory that we came up was that the original die might have broke into two pieces and to continue using that die, another piece was wielded together to form a new complete die. The doubling occurs ALL THE WAY into the ornaments. Hence, it is also doubled. Another theory was that the coin moved during striking and only half of the die was stuck. The die master must have moved it so that it would strike the second part while not disturbing the first part. Weird looking isn't it, but the strike is wonderful
Grierson wrote a pamphlet and a big book by the same name, "Byzantine Coins." Do not confuse this download, the pamphlet, with the real book which has excellent commentary and is very well-illustrated. Long ago I annotated the pamphlet with bookmarks, almost like a table of contents with links. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/99830900/byzcoinsannotated.pdf You can download my annotated version. View it in Adobe with bookmarks enabled. Or, you can skip it because it is not very thorough and will barely get you started. On the other hand, the Grierson book is highly recommended.
