Byzantine silver - My second hexagram and a cleaning job

A couple of months back I picked up this Byzantine hexagram of Constans II. This denomination was started by Emperor Heraclius (retrospectively a perfect example of someone who lived longer than they should have) during the final Roman-Persian war by gathering up silver church plate and melting it all down, in order to help fund his armies. After the conflict, they were continued by Heraclius's successor Constans II, and presumably then used to pay for the conflict against the Arabs, united under the then-new religion of Islam and conquering many Roman territories. The reverse legend, Deus adiuta Romanis ("May God help the Romans"), gives an idea of how dire the situation facing the empire was during the 7th century AD (the Byzantines were basically losing battle after battle and territory after territory against the Muslims).

Constans II with Constantine IV, Byzantine Empire
AR hexagram
Obv: D N CONSTANTINUS C CONSTANS, crowned and draped busts of Constans with long beard on the left, and Constantine IV, beardless on the right, cross between their head
Rev: dEUS AdIUtA ROmANIS, cross-potent on globe above three steps; B in right field
Date: 641-668 AD
Mint: Constantinople
Ref: SB 996
22 mm wide, 6.2 gr.
(attribution information from Wildwinds)



Byzantine Empire in 600 AD. Bit of a reversal in Italy against those pesky barbarian Lombards, but things were still pretty good



Then it got really bad, 650 AD



Then they nearly hit rock-bottom, 717 AD



As indicated by the poll I'm curious as to what you all think about the cleaning job. I'll admit part of my reason for buying it was to see how much I could improve it. Not as much hidden detail was revealed as I had hoped, but I think it still turned out fine.




(uncleaned reverse photo is a bit brighter than it should be)

 

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Interesting coin. I'm curious about your cleaning method - could you give some background on that as well?

 

Yes, curious about the cleaning process. Yes, those were some tough times.

 

Skipped over the whole Persian thing in the 600-650 timeframe, which is the only reason why the Muslims we able to be so successful. Basically Byzantium nearly became a vassal state of Persia until their imbecile emperor tried to hire the assassination of his best general. General turned on him, offed him, entire Persian country in chaos and here comes Mohammed.

However, before that, I think your map in the East is even worst than you show at 650.