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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;robinjojo, post: 7714799, member: 110226&quot;]I&#039;ve been drifting around lately, pottering around the house, reorganizing the dust bunnies (who are unionized now), reading, thinking about labeling more coins and otherwise engaged in mostly useless activities.&nbsp; The last couple of days were a bit surreal due to COVID injection #2.&nbsp; For some reason the tinnitus that I have been graced with for many years, began to modulate after that injection, as if someone was manipulating a volume control.&nbsp; Well, that has gone away, and now I back to a nice consistent ring in definitely a minor key.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have been buying coins, but not intensively, which is a really good thing.&nbsp; As I mentioned in other posts, I do not want the collection to reach a critical mass, which would suddenly collapse, taking most of San Jose with it.</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;ve been looking around for a while for a nice type half follis of Rome of Justinian.&nbsp; Finally able to buy one in the Roma E-sale 83.&nbsp; It didn&#039;t have any bids, probably due to a pit on Justinian&#039;s check, an off-center reverse, and a somewhat ragged flan.&nbsp; Perhaps I am a softy when I come to knit-picking, and I am often more inclined to forgive a coin for its faults than not.&nbsp; At any rate, here it is.&nbsp; There was a Roma Justinian follis in that auction as well, lot 899, but it hammered at a price equivalent to the GNP of some poorer countries (well, not quite, but it does have a dramatic effect).&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Justinian I Æ 20 Nummi. Rome, AD 538-544. D И IVSTIANVS P P AV (sic), pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust to right / Large K, star to left, cross to right; all within wreath. MIBE 222; DOC 325a; Sear 301. 7.00g, 22mm, 6h.</p><p><br /></p><p>Good Very Fine. Rare.</p><p>&nbsp;[ATTACH=full]1323050[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now I imagine a good many of you are familiar with the works of Robert Graves.&nbsp; I am currently reading <i>Count Belisarius</i>, first published in 1938.&nbsp; I copy that I got, a 1938 edition, turned out to be in pretty sorry shape - cracked spine, separating yellowed pages and covers that are frayed and look very tired being covers.&nbsp; However, with some archival tape I was able to address, albeit on a temporary basis, the issues of the spine and separated pages.</p><p><br /></p><p>Getting back to the work itself, I am finding it a very satisfying read and recommend it to anyone interested in this period.&nbsp; I really like Graves&#039; style of writing.&nbsp; The book is full of interesting facts, such as Theodora, Justinian&#039;s wife and Empress, worked as a prostitute prior to their marriage.&nbsp; Also, Antonina, Belisarius&#039; wife, apparently helped to introduce silk production in the Byzantine Empire, thereby breaking China&#039;s monopoly.&nbsp; Graves brings to life the times and people during this critical period in history.</p><p><br /></p><p>This book has been reprinted, so unless you want to spend some bucks on the first edition, or spend time taping together a disintegrating copy, a newer book is the way to go.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1323071[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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