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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Gil-galad, post: 2532847, member: 44154&quot;][ATTACH=full]541565[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Byzantine Empire, Justin II &amp; Sophia AE Half Follis, 565-578 AD, Thessalonica mint</p><p><br /></p><p>OBV: DN IVSTINVS PP AVG, Justin on left, Sophia on right, seated facing on double-throne, both nimbate, Justin holding cross on globe, Sophia holding sceptre.</p><p><br /></p><p>REV: Large K, ANNO to left, cross above, Delta officina letter to right, mintmark TES.</p><p><br /></p><p>REF: SB 366, MIB 70.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5674&amp;pos=1" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5674&amp;pos=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5674&amp;pos=1</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]541566[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Justin II had a vast amount of territory to manage after the death of Justinian I the great in 565 AD that was so very close to a nearly complete restoration of the Roman Empire. He also started his reign with a great deal of adversity which resulted in several natural disasters including a outbreak of the Bubonic plague in the 540s and for sometime afterwards. The treasury was nearing depletion from overspending and paying expensive tributes to Persia and the Avars.</p><p><br /></p><p>Justin II&#039;s policy to discontinue paying tribute ended in disaster as the truce between those two powers ended and war resumed. The final result was that Italy was lost to the Lombards and war continued with Sasanian Iran. As the failures of plans to hold territories continued, Justin II slipped into a progressing insanity that he had to abdicate into retirement. Tiberius II Constantine succeeded Justin II as Caesar in 574, as well as administering the empire while Justin II&#039;s insanity progressed.</p><p><br /></p><p>Post those Justin II coins if you like.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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