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<p>[QUOTE="Al Kowsky, post: 7682597, member: 97383"]Byzantine numismatic jargon has labeled these common gold coins as "six headers" because six different people are portrayed on one coin. Although common, well struck coins in choice condition can be very expensive. Nomos AG sold a gem grade example last year for $4,489.00 <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie57" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />! Nice examples in V.F. grade can be had in the $500-700 range.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1319396[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Romanus IV Diogenes, with Eudocia, Michael VII, Constantius, and Andronicus. AD 1068-1071. AV Histamenon Nomisma: 27 mm, 4.43 gm, 6 h. Constantinople Mint. Obverse: Jesus Christ standing on foot stool crowning Romanus & Eudocia who are holding a globus cruciger. Reverse: Michael holding a labarum & akakia, flanked by Constantius & Andronicus who are holding a globus criciger & akakia. Slight doubling on reverse side. Sear 1859. <i>Al Kowsky Collection.</i></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>All the listings I've seen of this coin type describe the obverse side of the coin with Michael VII, flanked by his brothers Constantius & Andronicus. I believe this to be incorrect. I believe the side with Christ flanked by Romanus & Eudocia should be the obverse side, regardless of the form of this scyphate coin. Weather the obverse is concave or convex should have no bearing on this designation.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reign of Romanus IV & Eudocia is one of the most bizarre chapters in Byzantine history. When Romanus lost the epic Battle of Manzikert, he was forced to surrender & lay on the ground while Sultan Alp Arslan put his foot on the neck of Romanus.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1319407[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Miniature medieval painting of Romans & Alp Arslan</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>After this humiliation the Sultan treated Romanus as an emperor with all respect due to one. He allowed Romanus to return to Constantinople with a set of embarrassing demands for surrender. When the disgraced Romanus did return he was forced to relinquish his status as emperor & was jailed. Later he was bound & had his eyes removed with a red-hot iron poker <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie9" alt=":eek:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. He then was put on a donkey & paraded about the city like a dying corpse. Soon there after maggots formed in his eye sockets & he died an agonizing death. Eudocia was exiled to a church she founded at the mouth of the Hellespont, tonsured & compelled to wear a veil.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1319417[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>A period ivory plaque thought to depict Christ flanked by Romanus & Eudocia. Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>References:</p><p>Byzantium, <i>The Apogee</i>, by John Julius Norwich. Copyright 1993.</p><p>Byzantine Coins & Their Values, by David R. Sear. Copyright 1987</p><p>Wikipedia.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Al Kowsky, post: 7682597, member: 97383"]Byzantine numismatic jargon has labeled these common gold coins as "six headers" because six different people are portrayed on one coin. Although common, well struck coins in choice condition can be very expensive. Nomos AG sold a gem grade example last year for $4,489.00 :jawdrop:! Nice examples in V.F. grade can be had in the $500-700 range. [ATTACH=full]1319396[/ATTACH] [B]Romanus IV Diogenes, with Eudocia, Michael VII, Constantius, and Andronicus. AD 1068-1071. AV Histamenon Nomisma: 27 mm, 4.43 gm, 6 h. Constantinople Mint. Obverse: Jesus Christ standing on foot stool crowning Romanus & Eudocia who are holding a globus cruciger. Reverse: Michael holding a labarum & akakia, flanked by Constantius & Andronicus who are holding a globus criciger & akakia. Slight doubling on reverse side. Sear 1859. [I]Al Kowsky Collection.[/I] [/B] All the listings I've seen of this coin type describe the obverse side of the coin with Michael VII, flanked by his brothers Constantius & Andronicus. I believe this to be incorrect. I believe the side with Christ flanked by Romanus & Eudocia should be the obverse side, regardless of the form of this scyphate coin. Weather the obverse is concave or convex should have no bearing on this designation. The reign of Romanus IV & Eudocia is one of the most bizarre chapters in Byzantine history. When Romanus lost the epic Battle of Manzikert, he was forced to surrender & lay on the ground while Sultan Alp Arslan put his foot on the neck of Romanus. [ATTACH=full]1319407[/ATTACH] [B]Miniature medieval painting of Romans & Alp Arslan [/B] After this humiliation the Sultan treated Romanus as an emperor with all respect due to one. He allowed Romanus to return to Constantinople with a set of embarrassing demands for surrender. When the disgraced Romanus did return he was forced to relinquish his status as emperor & was jailed. Later he was bound & had his eyes removed with a red-hot iron poker :eek:. He then was put on a donkey & paraded about the city like a dying corpse. Soon there after maggots formed in his eye sockets & he died an agonizing death. Eudocia was exiled to a church she founded at the mouth of the Hellespont, tonsured & compelled to wear a veil. [ATTACH=full]1319417[/ATTACH] [B]A period ivory plaque thought to depict Christ flanked by Romanus & Eudocia. Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. [/B] References: Byzantium, [I]The Apogee[/I], by John Julius Norwich. Copyright 1993. Byzantine Coins & Their Values, by David R. Sear. Copyright 1987 Wikipedia.[/QUOTE]
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