Basil II with Constantine VIII, Miliaresion, 3,0 gram and 24 mm, sear 1810: I just recopy the text of Quant.Geek: --- 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 --- Here the corroded miliaresion of the same type: 1,8 gram and 23 mm After the Eastern Roman Empire fought a long lasted 26 years of war with the Persians (602-628 C.E.) they decimated themselves so severely that the Muslims easily could conquer Middle East, and the Bulgars the Balkan. After that the empire was transformed into a fully “Byzantine” state: It was extinct Greek, Theme-system was incorporated where each themes should provided a certain amount of soldiers, and the state was confined to mainly the eastern part of Greece and western part of Anatolia to start with. To start with the state was threatened by each side as the Slavs and Bulgars crossed the Danube river, and as the Caliphate attempted to capture Constantinople twice times and failed. But around 800 C.E. the Abbasside Caliphate fragmentized into a couple of states, and later The Macedonian Dynasty was founded in which the Byzantine state peaked both military and culturally. When the Macedonian Dynasty took the place in 867: Later during the reign of Basil II:
Good write up and nice to see a fellow Byzantine collector. Here is my holed example. Romanus I 931 to 945 AD Mint: Constantinople AR Miliaresion Obvs: IhSЧS XRIStЧS nICA, Cross potent on three steps with cross beneath. At center oval medallion of Romanus, RW left and MA right. Revs: +ROMANO CONSTANt StЄFAnOS CЄCONSTA ЄnWbR in five lines. 23mm, 2.85g Ref: Sear 1755
