I've had some luck lately with late Roman and Byzantine coins. I'm especially excited to have snagged a Basiliscus and a Philippicus, both pretty rare guys. Basiliscus (475-476) semissis, Constantinople, 2.42 g. Obv. Diademed and draped bust right. Rev. Victory with a shield seated right, in left field, star; in right, cross-rho, in exergue: CONOB. RIC 1007. The semissis denomination seems to be particularly rare, with only 4 turning up on acsearch, and none ever sold by CNG. Mine is definitely the worst of them. The story of Basiliscus takes place in the context of a bitter struggle for power among multiple "barbarian" groups and the east Roman aristocracy, of which Basiliscus was a member. One key group were the Isaurians, a fierce mountain-dwelling people from south-central Anatolia who retained some degree of independence at least until the time of Justinian. From emperor Leo I's perspective, the Isaurians stiffened the imperial army against invasion and provided a much-needed counterbalance to the power of Aspar, the Alan magister militum. The rise of the Isaurians within the imperial court ultimately led to one of them, Zeno, marrying Leo I's daughter Ariadne. Zeno had adopted his Greek name so as to be more acceptable to the populace, but it seems the aristocracy, at least, never forgot he was really "Tarasikodissa Rousombladadiotes" (say that 5 times fast). Zeno and Ariadne's son Leo II succeeded the throne upon the first Leo's death in early 474, and eyebrows were definitely raised when "barbarian" Zeno was elevated to co-emperor almost immediately. When Leo II died leaving Zeno as sole emperor, the aristocracy struck: Verina (Leo I's wife) and a court cabal raised Verina's brother Basiliscus to the throne, and Zeno skulked off to one of his mountain strongholds. Basiliscus had led some successful campaigns against the Bulgars, Goths, and Huns earlier in his career, although he had failed miserably in the attemped reconquest of Africa from the Vandals. (Gaiseric managed to destroy half his fleet with fire ships.) In the end, though, Basiliscus's military experience would be useless. During his year on the throne, he managed to alienate everyone who mattered by allowing a massacre of Isaurians, raising taxes, taking money from the church, favouring the heretical miaphysitism, and even executing his sister Verina's lover. Meanwhile, Theoderic and his Ostrogoths kept busy the only military force Basiliscus had left at his disposal in the Balkans, and his tame Isaurian, Illus, switched sides. Zeno bribed Basiliscus's nephew and last remaining supporter and so was able to re-enter Constantinople unopposed. I guess a barbarian is OK as long as he lowers your taxes. Poor Basiliscus and his family sought sanctuary in a church, and emerged only after Zeno solemnly promised not to execute them. Which he didn't... sort of. Instead he had them immured in a dry cistern and they died of thirst. ("But I didn't kill them!" said Zeno.) ------------------ Philippicus Bardanes (711-713), AE follis, Constantinople, year 1, second officina, 3.03 g. Obv. Crowned facing bust, wearing loros and holding globus cruciger and eagle-tipped scepter. Rev. Large M; A/N/N/O and I across field; B//CON in exergue. Sear 1455. DOC 9a. MIB 21. In the first rebellion against Justinian II, the general and future emperor Bardanes cast his eye on the throne, but ultimately it was occupied by Leontius and then Tiberius III Apsimar, for a total of ten years. With dubious deference to "thou shalt not kill", Justinian's nose had been cut off instead, since it was thought that a mutilated emperor could never reoccupy the throne. Justinian himself didn't put much stock in that rule, however, and he worked constantly to regain his position, while evading numerous assassination attempts. Eventually he successively enlisted the aid of the Khazar and Bulgar khans, ultimately re-taking Constantinople. Upon regaining the throne (sporting an impressive gold nose), he executed both Leontius and Tiberius III, but Bardanes got off with just a spanking: banishment to Cherson in the Crimea. Cherson had also been the place of Justinian's banishment, and his reprisals against the city (either for one of those earlier assassination attempts, or for rolling over in the face of a current Khazar threat) put the Chersonites in a decidedly anti-Justinian mood. And lo and behold, there was a suitable emperor in their midst! Bardanes was elevated and took the name Philippicus. With the aid of the Khazars, Philippicus suborned the army Justinian sent against him; and with the aid of the scorn in which Justinian was held, Philippicus was welcomed with open arms into Constantinople. Justinian was intercepted just outside the city, and this time, there was no deference to "thou shalt not kill." Philippicus proved a poor emperor, however. He was mostly concerned with satisfying his various personal desires, and when he stirred himself to attend to matters of state it was only to resurrect troublesome religious disputes. At least so the story goes... but it may be that he was genuinely helpless in the face of insurmountable problems. The Bulgar khan Tervel used his "friend" Justinian's death as an excuse to move into Thrace up to the very walls of Constantinople, and the army Philippicus brought from Asia minor simply opened up the latter to incursions by the Umayyad caliphate under Walid I. As a result, that army from Asia minor (the Opsikion theme) revolted and deposed Philippicus, blinding him in the hippodrome. He died later that year. Please post your related coins. If you don't collect Byzantine but you do collect Roman... explain why! Byzantine is just east Roman after all...
Excellent coins and equally impressive write up @Severus Alexander. I am still new to Byzantine coins but I am definitely warming up to them. Here is my only example. This is actually my lucky coin It's Justin II and empress Sophia. He was a truly insane fellow but at least had the decency to step aside for another emperor so he could be crazy in peace. I am betting that Byzantine coins will increase in popularity over time. There is some truly narly and interesting history (gold nose anyone?) to be learned from these coins as your two examples illustrate very well.
Way cool write up! Very good! I have a singular Byzantine coin and it's almost 700 years removed. The biggest reason I don't collect Byzantine is because they didn't make attractive coins! However interesting posts and coins have slowly brought me around.
... not to mention some gnarly yet lovely patinas like yours! Glad to hear you're starting to feel the attractions of Byzantium.
A few more coins related to the Philippicus story... Justinian II, first reign (685-695), AV tremissis, Constantinople: Tiberius III Apsimar (698-705), overstruck on Leontius (695-698), follis, Constantinople: and al-Walid, AR dirham, Wasit, AH96 (guess which empire was in better economic condition...)
Sev-Alex => congrats on adding those two sweet Byzantine beauties to your collection Ummm, here are a few random Byzy-examples from my collection ...
Congratulations on your beautiful acquisitions, Severus Alexander! Thank you for the interesting and thorough write ups!
