Byzantine Coins of Constantine IV Pogonatus

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Constantine IV Pogonatus, 15 July 668 - 10 July 685 A.D.

Joint rule with Constans II (his father), 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D., and Heraclius and Tiberius (his brothers), 2 June 659 - autumn 681 A.D.
Constantine IV Pogonatus should be credited with saving Europe from Muslim conquest. Beginning in 674, the great siege of Constantinople, by the caliph Muawiyah I, lasted four years. The newly invented famous "Greek Fire" made the city impregnable and the Arabs were forced to retreat. In 681 he deposed his two brothers. He was succeeded by his 16-year-old son Justinian II.

Constantine IV Pogonatus should be credited with saving Europe from Muslim conquest. Beginning in 674, the great siege of Constantinople, by the caliph Muawiyah I, lasted four years. The newly invented famous "Greek Fire" made the city impregnable and the Arabs were forced to retreat. In 681 he deposed his two brothers. He was succeeded by his 16-year-old son Justinian II.BZ84239. Bronze half follis, Anastasi 245, DOC II 67, Spahr 186, Hahn MIB III 112, SBCV 1214, Berk -, VF, green patina, rough, weight 2.566 g, maximum diameter 17.6 mm, die axis 180^o, Syracuse mint, 679 - 681 A.D.; obverse helmeted and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder; reverse large K, cross above, +AN-NO ∆ (year 4) flanking left and right; very rare; $400.00 (�356.00)

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Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.

Constans II, was baptized Herakleios and reigned officially as Constantine. He was only 10 years old when he was made emperor. Constans was his diminutive nickname, which has become standard in modern historiography. Later in life he was also called Constantine the Bearded (Konstantinos Pogonatos).

SH70002. Gold solidus, DOC II part 2, 25c; Wroth BMC 42; Tolstoi 239; Morrisson BnF 47; Hahn MIB 26; Sommer 12.18; SBCV 959, Ratto -, aEF, graffiti, weight 4.431 g, maximum diameter 20.9 mm, die axis 180^o, 3rd officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 654 - 659 A.D.; obverse d N CONSTANTINyS C CONSTA, facing busts of Constans & Constantine IV (beardless) each wearing crown and chlamys, cross between their heads; reverse VICTORIA AVGU Γ (victory of the Emperor, 3rd officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $370.00 (�329.30)

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Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.

During Constans' reign the Islamic State expanded very quickly, in no small part because Christians and Jews often aided the Islamic take over of their lands. The Byzantine and Persian Empires both had imposed heavy taxes to finance the Byzantine-Sassanid Wars. In new territories, the Islamic State maintained the existing Byzantine or Persian tax collection systems, but the taxes were lowered and free trade encouraged commerce. Jews and the Christians were also allowed to use their own laws and have their own judges.

SH70015. Gold solidus, Wroth BMC 47 - 48, DOC II part 2, 25g (not in the collection, refs BMC); Tolstoi 248; Ratto 1588; Hahn MIB 26; Sommer 12.18; SBCV 959; Morrisson BnF -, EF, graffiti on reverse, weight 4.332 g, maximum diameter 19.6 mm, die axis 225^o, 7th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 654 - 659 A.D.; obverse d N CONSTANTINuS C CONSTANTI, facing busts of Constans & Constantine IV (beardless) each wearing crown and chlamys, cross between their heads; reverse VICTORIA AVGY Z (the victory of the Emperor, 7th officina) (Z reversed), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $370.00 (�329.30)

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Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.

SH70019. Gold solidus, Wroth BMC 46; DOC II part 2, 25f (not in the collection, refs BMC); Tolstoi 246; Sommer 12.18; Hahn MIB 26; SBCV 959; Ratto -; Morrisson BnF -, gVF, graffiti on reverse, weight 4.407 g, maximum diameter 20.6 mm, die axis 180^o, 6th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 654 - 659 A.D.; obverse d N CONSTANTINVS C CONSTAI, facing busts of Constans & Constantine IV (beardless) each wearing crown and chlamys, cross between their heads; reverse VICTORIA AVGY S (the victory of the Emperor, 6th officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $370.00 (�329.30)

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Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.

Grierson notes, in the Dumbarton Oaks catalog, "the inscriptions [on this type] are very variable, since it was difficult to get so much on the coin."

SH70059. Gold solidus, Wroth BMC 40 - 41, DOC II part 2, 25b (not in the collection, refs BMC); Hahn MIB 26; Tolstoi 236; SBCV 959, EF, weight 4.293 g, maximum diameter 19.9 mm, die axis 180^o, 2nd officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 654 - 659 A.D.; obverse d N CONSTANTINuS C CONSTANT, facing busts of Constans & Constantine IV (beardless) each wearing crown and chlamys, cross between their heads; reverse VICTORIA AVGY B (the victory of the Emperor, 2nd officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $370.00 (�329.30)

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Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.

In 665 the Arabs began a new invasion of North Africa. Resupplied by sea, the Byzantine were able to hold the coast and well-fortified Carthage for decades. In the spring of 698, however, the Arabs launched an assault by sea and land, forcing the Byzantines and their allies to evacuate Carthage. The Arabs burned the city to the ground, leaving the area desolate for the next two centuries. The Arab conquest of North Africa was then nearly complete.

BZ76424. Bronze follis, DOC II part 2, 147; Sommer 12.74; Wroth BMC 302; Tolstoi 372; Ratto 1632; Morrisson BnF 53; SBCV 1055, nice F, overstruck, slightly ragged flan, weight 6.849 g, maximum diameter 24.8 mm, die axis 45^o, Carthage mint, 662 - 667 A.D.; obverse Constans (left) with long cross in right, and Constantine (right), both crowned and stand facing, cross between, trace of legend from undertype; reverse large M flanked by Heraclius (left) and Tiberius, both stand facing in crown and chlamys, monogram

above, KTς below; scarce; $120.00 (�106.80)

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Byzantine Empire, Constans II and Constantine IV, 13 April 654 - 15 July 668 A.D.

In 654, Constans II appointed his two-year old son Constantine IV as co-emperor (Augustus). In 659. Constans II also elevated Constantine IV's younger brothers, Heraclius and Tiberius, as co-emperors.SH69722. Bronze follis, Anastasi 157; DOC II, part 2, 180; Wroth BMC 358; Morrisson BnF 6; Tolstoi 278; Ratto 1604; Hahn MIB 209; Berk 696; Sommer 12.91; SBCV 1109, F+, overstruck, ragged flan, weight 5.629 g, maximum diameter 27.0 mm, die axis 135^o, Syracuse mint, 654 - 659; obverse Constans (left) in military attire with long staff in right, and Constantine in chlamys with globus cruciger in right, both crowned and stand facing; reverse large M (40 nummi), monogram

above, SCL (Sicily) in exergue; from the Butte College Foundation, ex Lindgren; $60.00 (�53.40)

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The first Arab siege of Constantinople began in 674. In 678, the Byzantines finally broke the Siege when they destroyed the Arab fleet using a new incendiary liquid known as Greek fire, and then defeated the Arab army on land. Constantinople would not fall to the Muslims until 29 May 1453.BZ68156. Bronze follis, Anastasi 249; DOC II part 2, Class IV, 63; SBCV 1210, F, weight 3.647 g, maximum diameter 20.5 mm, die axis 225^o, Syracuse mint, 668 - 681 A.D.; obverse diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing, beardless, spear in right, shield on left ornamented with horseman; reverse large M (40 nummi), monogram above, SCL in exergue; scarce; $50.00 (�44.50)

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REFERENCES

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Catalog current as of Wednesday, September 20, 2017.
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