Heraclean Dynasty

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Byzantine Coins of the Heraclean Dynasty

Byzantine Empire, Leontius, 695 - 698 A.D.

Leontius' success as a general forced the Arab Caliph Abd al-Malik to make concessions and pay tribute to Emperor Justinian II; but when war was renewed, Leontius was defeated. Furious over the loss, Justinian imprisoned him for two years. When he was freed, Leontius and his former prison comrades organized a revolt, and he took the throne. Justinian was deposed, his nose and tongue were slit and he was exiled to a monastery. After the Arabs took Carthage, the fleet Leontius sent to retake the city failed. Rather than report defeat to the emperor, the army overthrew their admiral and named Apsimar, a Germanic sailor, as their leader. Apsimar changed his name to Tiberius, returned to Constantinople, seized the thrown, cut off Leontius' nose and ears and exiled him to a monastery. In 705, Justinian II returned to Constantinople with an army of Bulgars and Slavs. Both Leontius and Tiberius were dragged through the streets in chains and beheaded.SH83907. Gold tremissis, DOC II 4, SBCV 1333, Hahn MIB III 5, Sommer 15.3, Ratto 1731, Berk Gold 191, Morrisson BnF - (p. 417), VF, uneven strike, tight flan, graffiti obverse right field, weight 1.330 g, maximum diameter 14.4 mm, die axis 180^o, Constantinople mint, 695 - 698 A.D.; obverse D LEO-N PE AV, bearded facing bust, wearing loros and crown with cross, globus cruciger in right hand; reverse VICTORIA AVSY S, cross potent on base, CONOB in exergue; from the Robert Watcher Collection, ex Heritage auction 3002 (Long Beach, Sep 2008), lot 2013 (sold for $747.50 plus fees); rare; $900.00 (�801.00)

Byzantine Empire, Leontius, 695 - 698 A.D.

This half-follis of Leontius was first identified and published by S. J. Mansfield, in "A New Coin of the Byzantine Emperor Leontius" in Numismatic Circular, Nov 1999. It is otherwise unpublished and this is the second known specimen.BZ73337. Bronze half follis, Mansfield, S. J., A New Coin of the Byzantine Emperor Leontius in Num. Circ., Nov 1999; DOC II part 2 -; Anastasi -, SBCV -, Hahn MIB III -, et al. -, F, rough green patina, weight 2.806 g, maximum diameter 16.1 mm, die axis 180^o, Syracuse mint, 695 - 696 A.D.; obverse half length bust facing with short beard, wearing crown with cross and loros with pelleted lozenge pattern, akakia in right, globus cruciger in left; reverse large K (40 nummi), cruciform Leontius monogram (Anastasi monogram 5) above, cross left, I (year 1) right, SCL in exergue; great rarity, 2nd known; $600.00 (�534.00)

Byzantine Empire, Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine, 23 January 613 - 11 January 641 A.D.

In "Le tr�sor byzantine de Nikertai" in Revue Belge de Numismatique 118 (1972), Morrisson writes that this officina mark is horizontal, perpendicular to the rest of the legend, and indicates the 7th officina (a reversed Z, not an H). Hahn lists the Nikertai Hoard coin 146, described by Morrisson as 7th officina, as his only example from the H (8th) officina. The 8th officina probably did not strike this variant with an I in the right field. Gorny & Mosch Giessener M�nzhandlung Auction 196, lot 3100, was struck with the same dies in a similar state of wear.SH69990. Gold solidus, Nikertai Hoard 146; Hahn MIB 13 (Z) and 14 (H); Sommer 11.10; SBCV 739; DOC II - (type 14, officina not listed); Morrisson BnF -, Tolstoi -, Ratto -, VF, worn dies, weight 4.431 g, maximum diameter 20.9 mm, die axis 225^o, 7th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 616 - 625 A.D.; obverse dd NN hERACLIVS Et hERA CONSt PP A, facing busts of Heraclius, on left with short beard, and his son Heraclius Constantine, beardless and smaller, each wearing a simple crown with cross on circlet, cross between them above; reverse VICTORIA AVGu Z (victory of the Emperor, 7th officina, Z reversed), cross potent on three steps, I right, CONOB in exergue; scarce; $470.00 (�418.30)

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; $420.00 (�373.80)

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; $420.00 (�373.80)

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).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; $420.00 (�373.80)

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

In 655, Arab armies conquered Khurasan (Iran) and the Silk Road along Transoxiana (Central Asia).SH70020. Gold solidus, Wroth BMC 51 - 52, DOC II part 2, 25j (not in the collection, refs BMC); Tolstoi 253; Hahn MIB 26; Sommer 12.18; SBCV 959, EF, attractive portraits, graffiti: ΠZ reverse left, y reverse right, weight 4.358 g, maximum diameter 19.3 mm, die axis 180^o, 10th 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 I (the victory of the Emperor, 10th officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $420.00 (�373.80)

Byzantine Empire, Constans II, September 641 - 15 July 668 A.D.

From the 650's the Muslims took to the sea. The entire Mediterranean Sea became a battleground, with raids and counter-raids being launched against islands and the coastal settlements. In 652, an Arab fleet under Abdullah ibn Sa'ad defeated the Byzantine fleet of 500 ships off the coast of Alexandria. Muslim raids reached a peak in the 9th and early 10th centuries, after their conquest of Crete, Malta and Sicily, with their fleets reaching the coasts of France, Dalmatia and even the suburbs of Constantinople.SH70023. Gold solidus, DOC II part 2, 19f; Morrisson BnF 38; Tolstoi 51; Hahn MIB 23; Sommer 12.15; SBCV 956; Wroth BMC -; Ratto -, gVF, graffiti, weight 4.330 g, maximum diameter 19.6 mm, die axis 180^o, 6th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 651 - 654 A.D.; obverse d N CONSTANTINUS PP AV, crowned bust facing, long beard and mustache, wears chlamys, globus cruciger in right; reverse VICTORIA AVGU S (victory of the Emperor, 6th officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $420.00 (�373.80)

Byzantine Empire, Constans II, September 641 - 15 July 668 A.D.

In 651, the Qur'an was compiled in its present form by Caliph Uthman.SH70033. Gold solidus, DOC II part 2, 19a; Wroth BMC 27; Tolstoi 43; Hahn MIB 23; Sommer 12.15; SBCV 956; Morrisson BnF -; Ratto -, aEF, small die break in beard, graffiti: Λ obverse left, Eq reverse right, weight 4.394 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, die axis 180^o, 1st officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, c. 651 - 654 A.D.; obverse d N CONSTANTINUS PP AV, crowned bust facing, long beard and mustache, wears chlamys, globus cruciger in right; reverse VICTORIA AVGY A (victory of the Emperor, 1st officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $420.00 (�373.80)

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."SH70048. Gold solidus, DOC II part 2, 25i; Wroth BMC 50; Tolstoi 251; Morrisson BnF 50; Sommer 12.18; Hahn MIB 26; SBCV 959; Ratto -, aEF, light graffiti (Π?)on reverse, weight 4.402 g, maximum diameter 19.5 mm, die axis 180^o, 9th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 654 - 659 A.D.; obverse d N CONSTANTINVS C CONSTAN, facing busts of Constans & Constantine IV (beardless) each wearing crown and chlamys, cross between their heads; reverse VICTORIA AVGY Θ (the victory of the Emperor, 9th officina), cross potent on three steps, CONOB in exergue; $420.00 (�373.80)

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Catalog current as of Sunday, July 23, 2017.
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