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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Byzantine Coins| ▸ |Heraclean Dynasty| ▸ |Heraclius||View Options:   | | | Joint rule with Heraclius Constantine (his son), 23 January 613 - 3 July 638 A.D. |
In 626, Constantinople was under siege by horde of about 80,000 Avars, Slavs, Bulgars, and other "barbarians" and a small Persian army allied with them. On 31 July, the barbarian and Persian allies launched an attack along the entire 5.7 kilometer length of the Theodosian Walls using the most current trebuchets, mobile armored shelters, and siege towers. On the walls, 12,000 well-trained Byzantine troops fought fiercely, holding off assault after assault. On 7 August the Persian fleet was destroyed while ferrying reinforcements. The Avars, having suffered terrible losses, and short of food and supplies, burned their siege engines and retreated to the Balkan Peninsula. Constantinople was saved.BZ111694. Bronze follis, DOC II-1 184a corr. (scepter vice gl. cr.); Tolstoi 358; Morrisson BnF 10/Ch/AD/01; Hahn MIB 198a-; Sear 849; Wroth BMC -; Ratto - ; Sommer -, F, dark patina, light deposits, weight 4.135 g, maximum diameter 28.0 mm, die axis 180o, 3rd offficina, Cyprus mint, 626 - 627 A.D.; obverse empress Martina, Heraclius, and Heraclius Constantine standing facing, each holding cross topped scepter in right hand; reverse large M (40 nummi), cross above, ANNO left, X/U/II (year 17) right, Γ (3rd officina) below, KVΠP (Cyprus) in exergue; scarce; SOLD
In 613, Heraclius appointed himself commander-in-chief, along with his brother Theodore (curopalates), to solidify command of the army. Heraclius mobilized a Byzantine expeditionary force to Antioch (Syria), but was completely defeated outside the city by the Persians. Shahin Vahmanzadegan makes further inroads into Central and Western Anatolia. In Syria, Shahrbaraz captures the cities of Damascus, Apamea and Emesa.BZ36623. Bronze follis, DOC II-1 76a; Morrisson BnF 10/Cp/AE/14; Wroth BMC 116; Tolstoi 226; Ratto 1394; Hahn MIB 160b; Sommer 11.53; SBCV 805, aVF, overstruck, weight 12.552 g, maximum diameter 33.9 mm, die axis 180o, 1st officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 613 A.D.; obverse dd NN hERACLIuS Et hERA CONSt PP A, Heraclius on left, Heraclius Constantine on right, each in chlamys holding globus cruciger in right, cross between heads; reverse large M (40 nummi), chi rho Christogram above, ANNO left, III (year 3) right, A (1st officina) below, CON (Constantinople) in exergue; interesting overstrike making a curious date, well centered on a large flan, black patina; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine, 23 January 613 - 11 January 641 A.D., Countermarked in Sicily
BZ47785. Bronze follis, Anastasi 65a, DOC II 242, SBCV 883; Sicilian countermarks applied on a Constantinople follis, VF, weight 8.227 g, maximum diameter 30.5 mm, die axis 225o, uncertain Sicilian mint, 630 - 638 A.D.; obverse SCL within oval punch over lower part of standing figures on original coin; reverse facing crowned and draped busts of Heraclius (on left) and Heraclius Constantine, cross between their heads, within oval punch over M on original coin; [AN]NO left, Γ below M and CON mint mark from original coin; sharp detail but still obscure due to the crude nature of the type, partly uncleaned; rare; SOLD
BZ54057. Bronze follis, DOC II-1 168a; SBCV 839, gF, weight 11.254 g, maximum diameter 29.8 mm, die axis 180o, 1st officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 611 - 612 A.D.; obverse d N hERACLI PERP AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, short beard, cross in right, shield in left; reverse large M (40 nummi) between A/N/N/O and II (regnal year 2), cross above, A below, KYZ (Kyzikos) in exergue; ex Baldwin's; scarce; SOLD
Sasanian Empire, Levantine Occupation, 610 - 629 A.D., Imitative of Heraclius with Heraclius Constantine
In 604, Khusro II personnally led the siege of Dara, Mesopotamia. Because they resisted, the inhabitants were slaughtered and everything of value was carried off to Persia. This warning was somewhat sufficient; other cities including Antioch (610), Emesa (611), and Damascus (613) surrendered under terms and opened their gates. When Jerusalem was taken in May 614, tens of thousands were massacred and the True cross was taken. In 619 when Alexandria surrendered after a long siege, the young men and monks were massacred. Evidence suggests, however, that Persians allowed the local adminstrations to resume control of these cities after the initial slaughter and looting. This type was likely struck by civic authorities for local use in one of the Levantine cities during the Sasanian Occupation.BZ65329. Bronze follis, Imitative of Heraclius with Heraclius Constantine; Pottier class IV, aF, rough, overstruck, weight 10.502 g, maximum diameter 28.6 mm, die axis 180o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 610 - 629 A.D.; obverse two imperial figures standing facing in very crude style, each holding globus cruciger in right, blundered imitation of legend around; reverse large M (40 nummi), THEUP in exergue (reverse obscured by undertype effects); unusual and rare; SOLD
BZ36636. Bronze follis, DOC II-1 169a.9 ff.; SBCV 839, VF, grainy surfaces, weight 10.933 g, maximum diameter 31.4 mm, die axis 225o, 1st officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 612 - 613 A.D.; obverse d N hERACLI PERP AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, short beard, cross in right, shield in left; reverse large M (40 nummi) between A/N/N/O and II/I (regnal year 3), cross above, A below, KYZ (Kyzikos) in exergue; scarce; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine, 23 January 613 - 11 January 641 A.D.
In 614, a Sassanid Persian and Jewish army (26,000 men) led by by Shahrbaraz captured and sacked Jerusalem after a 20-day siege. Somewhere between 57,000 and 66,500 citizens were slain; another 35,000 were enslaved, including the Patriarch Zacharias. Many churches in the city (including the "Church of the Resurrection" or Holy Sepulchre) were burned, and numerous relics, including the True Cross, the Holy Lance, and the Holy Sponge, were carried off to the Persian capital Ctesiphon.BZ77962. Bronze follis, DOC II-1 159b.4 (same dies); Morrisson BnF 10/Ni/AE/07; Wroth BMC 242; Tolstoi 270; Ratto 1436; Hahn MIB 175a; SBCV 834; Sommer 11.73, F, overstruck on a large flan, small edge cracks, strong undertype effects, weight 13.375 g, maximum diameter 31.2 mm, die axis 195o, 2nd officina, Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 613 - 614 A.D.; obverse Heraclius on left, Heraclius Constantine on right, both stand wearing crown and chlamys with globus cruciger in right hand, cross between heads, obscure blundered legend; reverse large M (40 nummi) between A/N/N/O and II/II (regnal year 4), cross above, B (2nd officina) below, NIK (Nicomedia) in exergue; from the Butte College Foundation, ex Lindgren; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine, 23 January 613 - 11 January 641 A.D.
Heraclius came to power through revolt against the tyrannical Focas. He defeated the Sassanid Persians, but this only facilitated Arab conquest of Persia and the eastern Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines lost Syria and Palestine before Heraclius died and Egypt fell soon after.BZ77965. Bronze follis, DOC II-1 243; Anastasi 66; Wroth BMC 398; Tolstoi 315; Ratto 1450; Morrisson BnF 10/Sy/AE/35; SBCV 884; Sommer 11.115, countermarks: F, uncertain undertype, weight 5.609 g, maximum diameter 25.9 mm, die axis 180o, Syracuse mint, 632 - 11 Jan 641 A.D.; obverse facing busts of long-bearded Heraclius and his son Heraclius Constantine, wearing short beard, cross above, all within large round countermark; traces of undertype; reverse Heraclian monogram
and SCs within large round countermark; traces of undertype; from the Butte College Foundation, ex Lindgren; SOLDByzantine Empire, Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine, 23 January 613 - 11 January 641 A.D.
In 613, a Jewish revolt against the Byzantine Heraclius led to the conquest of Jerusalem in 614 by combined Persian and Jewish forces. The Persians looted the city, and are said to have massacred its 90,000 Christian inhabitants; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed and the True Cross captured and taken to Ctesiphon as a battle-captured holy relic. Jewish Autonomy was established in the city. In September 629 Jerusalem was reconquered by the Byzantines. The Cross was returned to Jerusalem and the Jews in the city were massacred.BZ65917. Bronze follis, SBCV 810, Sommer 11.58, Hahn MIB 164b, F, large flan, weight 10.009 g, maximum diameter 32.3 mm, die axis 45o, 4th officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 629 - 640 A.D.; obverse Heraclius (on left) in military dress holding long cross, Heraclius Constantine (on right) in chlamys holding globus cruciger, cross above, K right; reverse large M (40 nummi), cross over C above, ANNO left, obscure date right, Δ (4th officina) below, CON (Constantinople) in exergue; SOLD
Byzantine Empire, Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine, 23 January 613 - 11 January 641 A.D.
In 629, the Islamic prophet Muhammad had recently succeeded in unifying all of the nomadic tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. Those tribes had previously been too divided to pose a serious military threat to the Byzantines or the Persians. Now unified and animated by their new conversion to Islam, they comprised one of the most powerful states in the region. The first conflict between the Byzantines and Muslims was the Battle of Mu'tah in September 629. A small Muslim skirmishing force attacked the province of Arabia but were repulsed. Because the engagement was a Byzantine victory, there was no apparent reason to make changes to the military configuration of the region. Also, once the severity of the Muslim threat was realized, the Byzantines had little preceding battlefield experience with the Arabs, and even less with zealous soldiers united by a prophet. Even the Strategicon, a manual of war praised for the variety of enemies it covers, does not mention warfare against Arabs at any length. The following year the Muslims launched raids into the Arabah south of Lake Tiberias, taking Al Karak. Other raids penetrated into the Negev reaching as far as Gaza. The Battle of Yarmouk in 636 resulted in a crushing defeat for the larger Byzantine army; within three years, the Levant had been lost again. By the time of Heraclius' death in Constantinople, on February 11, 641, most of Egypt had fallen as well.BZ77961. Bronze follis, DOC II-1 106c; Wroth BMC 156; Tolstoi 248; Ratto 1415; Hahn MIB 164a; Sommer 11.57; SBCV 810; Morrisson BnF -, F, nice desert patina, overstruck, ragged flan, weight 10.185 g, maximum diameter 27.0 mm, die axis 180o, 3rd officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 630 - 631 A.D.; obverse Heraclius in military dress holding long cross on left, Heraclius Constantine in chlamys holding globus cruciger on right; reverse large M (40 nummi), cross above, ANNO left, X/X/I right (regnal year 21), Γ below (3rd officina), CON (Constantinople) in exergue; from the Butte College Foundation, ex Lindgren; SOLD
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