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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 6595025, member: 85693&quot;]Nothing like a couple of Byzantine emperors for the Smooth Transition of Power...</p><p><br /></p><p>From Wikipedia - </p><p><br /></p><p>Maurice Tiberius: &quot;Maurice was murdered at the harbor of Eutropius on 27 November 602 (some sources say 23 November). The deposed emperor was forced to watch his five younger sons executed before he was beheaded himself.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_(emperor)#cite_note-FOOTNOTENorwich1988278-56" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_(emperor)#cite_note-FOOTNOTENorwich1988278-56" rel="nofollow">[55]</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantina_(empress)" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantina_(empress)" rel="nofollow">Empress Constantina</a> and her three daughters were temporarily spared and sent to a monastery. The palace eunuch Scholasticus aided their escape to St. Sophia, but the church turned them over to Phocas, who sent them back to the monastery. A few years later, they were all executed at the harbor of Eutropius when Constantina was found guilty of a conspiracy against Phocas.&quot;&nbsp; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_(emperor)#Death" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_(emperor)#Death" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_(emperor)#Death</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Phocas:&nbsp; &quot;Despite being appointed as <i>Comes excubitorum</i>, Priscus was not loyal to Phocas, and in 608 he appealed to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclius_the_Elder" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclius_the_Elder" rel="nofollow">Heraclius the Elder</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exarch_of_Carthage" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exarch_of_Carthage" rel="nofollow">Exarch of Carthage</a>, to rebel against Phocas.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocas#cite_note-FOOTNOTEParnell2016137-9" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocas#cite_note-FOOTNOTEParnell2016137-9" rel="nofollow">[9]</a> Heraclius the Elder agreed, and began to prepare to invade, by cutting off the supply of grain to Constantinople and assembling a large army and navy. Heraclius the Elder launched his invasion in 609, with his cousin, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicetas_(cousin_of_Heraclius)" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicetas_(cousin_of_Heraclius)" rel="nofollow">Nicetas</a>, marching troops overland to the capital, and his son, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclius" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclius" rel="nofollow">Heraclius</a>, leading a naval invasion of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thessalonica" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thessalonica" rel="nofollow">Thessalonica</a>, before marching to Constantinople. Heraclius arrived outside Constantinople on 3 October 610, and seized the city on 5 October. Heraclius was declared emperor on the same day, and swiftly had Phocas executed.&quot;&nbsp; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocas#Downfall" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocas#Downfall" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocas#Downfall</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Includes a picture:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265822[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>A couple of coins I picked up at my local dealer a while back:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1265821[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Maurice Tiberius&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Æ Follis</b></p><p><b>Year 16 (597-598 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Antioch (Theopolis) Mint</b></p><p>DN MA[V G I CN] P AVT (should be G), crowned, mantled bust facing, holding mappa and eagle-tipped sceptre / Large M, ANNO left, cross above, X/μI right, Γ below, THEUP´ in ex.</p><p>SB 533; DO 168b.</p><p>(10.86 grams / 27 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Phocas&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Æ Half Follis</b></p><p><b>Year 2 (603-604 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Cyzicus Mint</b></p><p>dN FOCA PERP AV[G], crowned, mantled bust facing, holding mappa and cross / Large XX, cross above, regnal year II right, KYZB in exergue.</p><p>SB 670; MIB 79.</p><p>(5.54 grams / 20 mm)[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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