Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Byzantine Coins| ▸ |Macedonian Dynasty| ▸ |Constantine IX||View Options: ![]() ![]() The reign of Constantine IX marked the beginning of a dramatic decline for the empire. Although he founded a university and surrounded himself with imperial counselors he drained the treasury and allowed the army to decline. Perhaps an indicator of his financial problems, the gold coins of his reign were debased to 18-20 carats. |