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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Byzantine Coins| ▸ |Justinian Dynasty||View Options:   | | | |
The cross between the heads of Justin and Sophia is very rare for the Constantinople mint folles. Wroth BMC, Morrisson BnF, Tolstoi, Ratto and Sommer do not list this variant. Sear remarks, "rarely, with cross between their hds." Dumbarton Oaks has only one specimen, DOC I 32b.2, year 7, B (2nd officina). There is only one specimen on Coin Archives, also year 7, B (2nd officina). For MIBEC 43f, Hahn and Metlich list the following years and officina:
Year 4, Γ (3rd officina), 1 spec. (Heraclian Hoard 24, staurogram reverse)
Year 4, E (5th officina), 2 spec.
Year 7, B (2nd officina), 1 spec. (DOC I 32b.2).
Year 9, B (2nd officina), 1 spec.
Year 10, A (1st officina), 1 spec.
Year 12, Γ (3rd officina), 2 spec.
BZ99094. Bronze follis, MIBEC 43f var. (only 2nd officina listed in year 9), SBCV 360 (rare), DOC I, BMC -, BnF -, Sommer, - Tolstoi -, Ratto -, Choice F, well centered, attractive dark patina with highlight earthen deposits, edge ragged with small splits, weight 13.267 g, maximum diameter 31.4 mm, die axis 0o, 1st officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 573 - 574 A.D.; obverse D N IVSTI-NVS P P AV, Justin II (on left) and Sophia (on right) seated side-by-side facing on a double throne, both are nimbate, he holds a globus cruciger, she holds a cruciform scepter, cross above between heads; reverse large M (40 nummi), cross above, A/N/N/O (year) in a column left, ςI/II (9) in two lines right, A (1st officina) below, CON (Constantinople) in exergue; from the Robert Wachter Collection, the obverse cross variation is very rare for this type and apparently unpublished for this year and officina;
Byzantine Empire, Justinian I, 4 April 527 - 14 November 565 A.D.
Justinian folles of years 12-14, such as this coin, are highly valued because they are larger and of better style than most later examples. These massive coins must have given their users a solid assurance of value.BZ99436. Bronze follis, DOC I 38c, Morrisson BnF I 4/Cp/AE/41, Wroth BMC 48, Tolstoi 98, Ratto 499, SBCV 163, Sommer 40.20, Hahn MIB I 95, VF, centered on a large flan, slight double strike, earthen deposits, weight 22.690 g, maximum diameter 40.11 mm, die axis 180o, 3rd officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 539 - 540 A.D.; obverse D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, globus cruciger in right hand, shield on left arm ornamented with a horseman spearing a fallen foe, cross right; reverse large M (40 nummi), cross above, A/N/N/O (year) in column left, X/III (13) right, Γ (officina 3) below, CON (Constantinople) in exergue; full circles strike on a huge flan!;
Byzantine Empire, Maurice Tiberius, 13 August 582 - 22 November 602 A.D.
| The ruins of Antioch on the Orontes lie near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey. Founded near the end of the 4th century B.C. by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch's geographic, military and economic location, particularly the spice trade, the Silk Road, the Persian Royal Road, benefited its occupants, and eventually it rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the Near East and as the main center of Hellenistic Judaism at the end of the Second Temple period. Antioch is called "the cradle of Christianity,” for the pivotal early role it played in the emergence of the faith. It was one of the four cities of the Syrian tetrapolis. Its residents are known as Antiochenes. Antioch was renamed Theoupolis after it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake on 29 November 528. Once a great metropolis of half a million people, it declined to insignificance during the Middle Ages because of warfare, repeated earthquakes and a change in trade routes following the Mongol conquests, which then no longer passed through Antioch from the far east. |  |
Byzantine Empire, Maurice Tiberius, 13 August 582 - 22 November 602 A.D.
Tiberius II and Maurice both issued similar folles of this type. Tiberius II has a cross on his crown; Maurice has a trefoil ornament. Also, the obverse legends for Tiberius II are mostly recognizable, the obverse legends for Maurice are completely blundered illiterate nonsense, as on this coin. Many older references failed to distinguish between them.BZ99034. Bronze follis, DOC I 163b, Morrisson BnF 7/An/AE/30, Wroth BMC 173, Sommer 7.63, Hahn MIB II 96C, SBCV 533, Tolstoi -, Ratto -, VF, nice dark green patina, weight 11.502 g, maximum diameter 27.3 mm, die axis 180o, Antioch as Theoupolis (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 592 - 593 A.D.; obverse d N mAUΓI - CN P AUT, bust facing, crown with trefoil ornament, consular robes, mappa in right, eagle-tipped scepter in left; reverse large M (40 nummi) between A/N/N/O and X/I (regnal year 11), cross above, Γ (3rd officina) below, THEUP' (Theoupolis) in exergue;
Byzantine Empire, Justin II, 15 November 565 - 5 October 578 A.D.
Justin II was the nephew of Justinian, a son of Vigilantia and Dulcidio, Justinian's sister and brother-in-law. His siblings included Marcellus and Praejecta. With Sophia he had a daughter Arabia and possibly a son, Justus, who died young. He also had a niece named Helena.BZ99040. Bronze follis, DOC I 97a, Morrisson BnF 5/Ni/AE/17, Wroth BMC 137, Hahn MIB 46b, Sommer 5.27, SBCV 369, Tolstoi -, Ratto -, gVF, nice green patina, uneven strike, edge ragged with small edge splits, weight 12.801 g, maximum diameter 29.8 mm, die axis 180o, 1st officina, Nicomedia (Izmit, Turkey) mint, 571 - 572 A.D.; obverse D N IVSTI-NVS P P AV, Justin and Sophia, nimbate, enthroned facing, globus cruciger in his right, cruciform scepter in her right, cross between heads; reverse large M (40 nummi) between ANNO and ςI (regnal year 7), cross above, A (officina 1) below, NIKO in exergue;
Byzantine Empire, Justin II, 15 November 565 - 5 October 578 A.D.
Justin, unable to handle the burden of his failures, fell into madness. He ordered an organ be played continuously to soothe his frenzied mind. He was pulled through the palace on a wheeled throne, biting attendants as he passed, and there were rumors that he had devoured a number of them. In 574, General Tiberius was adopted as his caesar, regent and heir. Tiberius received the diadem on his knees before the assembly. Justin, in a moment of sanity, addressed the new monarch saying: "If you consent, I live; if you command, I die: may the God of heaven and earth infuse into your heart whatever I have neglected or forgotten." The assembly applauded with sympathy, silence, and in tears for their prince. Sophia and Tiberius ruled as joint regents for four years, while Justin sank into growing insanity.BZ97793. Bronze follis, DOC I 32b, Ratto 803, MIBEC 43a, Sommer 5.9, SBCV 360, Wroth BMC 56 var. (Christogram vice cross), Tolstoi -, Morrisson BnF -, aVF, broad flan, partial green patina and colorful deposits, weight 12.997 g, maximum diameter 31.5 mm, die axis 180o, 2nd officina, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, 571 - 572 A.D.; obverse D N IVSTI-NVS P P AV, Justin II (on left) and Sophia (on right) seated side-by-side facing on a double throne, both are nimbate, he holds a globus cruciger, she holds a cruciform scepter; reverse large M (40 nummi) between ANNO and ςI (year 6), cross above, B (2nd officina) below, CON (Constantinople) in exergue;
Byzantine Empire, Justin II, 15 November 565 - 5 October 578 A.D.
In 572, the Byzantine Empire was at war with Persia and was attacked by the Visigoths from Spain.BZ97796. Bronze follis, DOC I 152b, Wroth BMC 197, Morrisson BnF 5/An/AE/02, Sommer 5.38.2, SBCV 379, Tolstoi 159, Ratto 895, Hahn MIB II -, F, dark brown patina, attractive highlighting colorful earthen deposits, weight 15.036 g, maximum diameter 32.5 mm, die axis 180o, 3rd officina, Theoupolis (Antioch) mint, 571 - 572 A.D.; obverse Justin II seated on left and Sophia seated on right facing on double throne, both are nimbate, holding together large cross on globe, blundered nonsense legend; reverse large M (40 nummi) between ANNO and u/II (year 7), cross above, Γ (3rd officina) below, THEUP' in exergue;
Byzantine Empire, Justin II, 15 November 565 - 5 October 578 A.D.
In 569, Justin II and his wife Sophia sent a relic of the "True Cross" to the Frankish princess Radegund, who had founded a monastery at Poitiers.MA95683. Bronze half follis, DOC I 63.3, Morrisson BnF 5/Th/AE/04, Sommer 5.18.2, Hahn MIB II 68b, SBCV 365, Wroth BMC 102, Tolstoi 40, Ratto -, gF, dark green patina with some flaking, weight 6.423 g, maximum diameter 22.8 mm, die axis 180o, Thessalonica (Salonika, Greece) mint, 567 - 568 A.D.; obverse D N IVSTINVS P P AVI, helmeted, cuirassed bust facing, wearing diadem with pendilia, globus cruciger in right hand, shield ornamented with horseman on left arm; reverse large K (20 nummi), cross above, ANNO left, III (year) right, TES below;
Byzantine Empire, Maurice Tiberius, 13 August 582 - 22 November 602 A.D.
Antioch was renamed Theoupolis after it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake on 29 November 528.
Maurice Tiberius, a successful general, was selected by Tiberius II Constantine as his successor. He achieved a favorable peace with Persia and stemmed losses in Italy and Africa, much of the Balkans were lost. Focas, a junior officer, revolted. Maurice and Theodosius, his son and co-emperor, were captured and murdered.BZ97888. Bronze follis, DOC I 165b; Wroth BMC 181; Morrisson BnF 7/An/AE/35; Hahn MIB 96c; Tolstoi 168; Ratto 1135; Sommer 7.63.1; SBCV 533, aVF, black patina, earthen deposits and encrustations, weight 12.010 g, maximum diameter 28.9 mm, die axis 0o, 3rd officina, Theoupolis (Antioch) mint, 594 - 595 A.D.; obverse D N mAUΓI-CNPAUT, bust facing, crown with trefoil ornament, consular robes, mappa in right, eagle-tipped scepter in left; reverse large M (40 nummi) between A/N/N/O and X/III (regnal year 13), cross above, Γ (officina 3) below, THEUP' in exergue;
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