Welcome To Forum Ancient Coins!!!All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!!Please Call Us If You Have Questions 252-646-1958 or 252-497-2724Expert Authentication - Accurate Descriptions - Reasonable Prices - Coins From Under $10 To Museum Quality RaritiesWelcome To Forum Ancient Coins!!!All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!!Internet Challenged? We Are Happy To Take Your Order Over The Phone 252-646-1958Explore Our Website And Find Joy In The History, Numismatics, Art, Mythology, And Geography Of Coins!!!
Leo III the Isaurian, 25 March 717 - 18 June 741 A.D.
Joint rule with Constantine V (his son), 31 March 720 - 18 June 741 A.D. Leo III was born of peasant origin in Isauria (southern Anatolia). Anastasius II made him a general. Under Theodosius III, the Arabs were threatening Constantinople. Leo made a truce with the Arabs which allowed him to return to the capital with an army. He defeated the few forces still loyal to Theodosius and was acclaimed emperor. Meanwhile, the Arabs, ruling a large part of Asia Minor and Thrace, were certain of their final victory. Constantinople was under siege by sea and by land, but their fleet of 1,800 vessels was totally destroyed (only 5 ships survived) and they were also defeated in Thrace. Within a few months, the Byzantine Empire recovered most of their lost territory and was again the premier power in the Mediterranean. Leo so successfully defeated the Arabs that they ceased to be a serious threat for centuries. Leo reorganize the empire, carrying out important reforms, introduced a new silver denomination, the miliaresion, and promulgating a code of laws (Ecloga). Unfortunately his iconoclast policies (opposition to devotion to religious images) resulted in the destruction of thousands of masterpieces of Roman art (fortunately the Pope refused his order to destroy the artworks of Rome), split the Roman and Byzantine churches, and resulted in violent struggles between iconoclasts and their opposition which would not end until 842 A.D.
Catalog current as of Friday, April 19, 2024. Page created in 1.438 seconds.