Founder of the Comnenus dynasty Alexius was emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire at the time of the first crusade. With the help of Venice they countered the Norman threat. However he granted Venice wide trading privileges which later came back to haunt the Byzantine empire. He was able to regain territory in Asia Minor that the Turks had seized . His son John II was his co-emperor from 1092.

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After the death of the Emperor Zeno the widowed Empress Ariadne selected the court official Anastasius. Anastasius ruled for twenty-seven years, generally recognised as responsible for changes in the monetary system, and by accounts leaving the state treasury in much better condition than when he took office.

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There is considerable debate on the exact weight of the Roman pound which is the ancestor of the Byzantine pound. Generally it has been proposed that the weight of the pound become slightly lighter over the years. Simon Bendall (Byzantine weights: an Introduction, 1996) mentions that in the Geneva Museum and the Munz Zentrum sales that a number of one pound weights varied between 324 gm and 280 gm. By about 1343 there is reasonable evidence that a pound was about 304 gm, after starting at around 327 gm and this number can be disputed.
Byzantine weights are for commercial which are in pounds, ounces or fractions, or are coin weights weighted as nomismata or solidi. Six nomismata were in an ounce, hence 72 to a pound. Complicating this is that there is evidence that possibly there was a provincial pound that was spit into 14 ounces rather than 12 ounces with seven nomismata instead of six.
Typically there are symbols associated with commercial weights, and those for coins. For a variety of reasons including archeological evidence, weights are considered to belong to the sixth and seventh centuries. Often weights bear a mark of value but little else, often these are thought to be household weights. Justinian I in 545 issued edicts for certain officials to be responsible for standards and that these weights were to be kept in a church in each city. Many weights espically round ones seem expertly made possibly from a centralized area of production, but the engraving seem at times crude, suggesting that they were then engraved locally. Square weights were adjusted by filing on the edges resulting at times in a rougher looking appearance.

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Coming to the throne in his sixties, he started out with good intentions to rid the empire of corruption. However his reign seems to be characterized by cruel methods that soon brought about a variety of revolts through out the empire. In 1185 Thessalonica was sacked by the Normans, and he ordered the excecution of all exiles, prisoners and families for assisting the crusading invaders. He was soon over thrown by Isaac Angelos and was hung up for three days in the Hippodrome of Constantinople, only after his rt hand was cut off, teeth and hair pulled out with one of his eyes. Andronicus I was the last of the Comnenus to rule Constantinople though his grandsons founded the Empire of Trebizond in 1204.

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Andronicus II crowned his son Michael IX co-emperor in 1295 but allowed little influence in goverment control he died in 1320.

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Andronicus became co-emperor with his father Michael VIII in 1272 and took the throne alone in 1282. His father posessed great gifts as statesman, which Andronicus did not inherit. The empire started to unravel, and the central govermnet of Constantinople found itself in diffculet financial condition, making cuts in the army. Soon he lost Asia Minor to the Turkish tribes.

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Andronicus III forced his grandfather (Michael IX) to retire, and spared little effort in attempting to restore some vestige of previous Byzantine glory. He met the Turks personally on the battlefield, but the empires ememies were many. He was able to make little headway with the entrenched corruption of the emperial bureaucracy, and his reign saw the continued rise of the Serbs afte rthier ictory of the Bulgarians in the 1330's. His coins are considered scarce and oftem of crude frabric and design.

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Basil I, associated with the founding of the Macedonian dynasty, oversaw the period during which the Byzantium was the strongest empire in the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe. Ruling for 19 years, having a reputation for piety he was felt to rule fairly effectively.

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Repeated use of recycled coins is a important part of establishing order of minting and establishing dates. Certainly with what is known as the Anonymous folles's from John I in 969 through Alexius I ending in 1118, overstrikes have been crucial to attempting to establish a pattern which is still subject to debate.

Following is a collection of overstrikes with identifiable under types.

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A collections of odds and ends I have encountered over time. All of these have passed through my hands but many no longer remain.

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As has been discussed these are the "neatly clipped" tracheas that are often found in hoards form the late 1100's and early 1200's. During the reign of Manuel I (1143-1180) the silver content of the trachy was dropped from c.6% to c.3%. In Alexius III's time (1195-1203) these high silver types were clipped down to half size, probably officially, presumably so as to match the lower silver content of the later issues. Hendy and Grierson believe that this shearing was a consequence of the devaluation of trachy mixture during the reign of Isaac II and Alexius III. They reduced by half the already low silver content of this coin: shearing coins of previous emperors, still widely in circulation, made their trachy consistent with the intrinsic value of current emissions. Of course, this does not justify the clipping of coins of the already degraded of Isaac II and Alexius III. The structure of their dispersion in hoards indicates that, however, they were made after the other emissions. Clipped trachys appear in small amounts along with regular trachy in hoards, represents a rarity. Were clipped trachys of Manuel I, Andronicus I, Isaac II and Alexius III, and perhaps of John II; those of Manuel are less scarce. In principle, we must believe that all trachys after Manuel I have been clipped, although many have not yet appeared. There are still a number of question concerning these interesting coins. Much of this discussion is copied from conversation with Ross G. and Antvwala on the byzantine discussion board.

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Constans II (son of Heraclius Constantine, first son of Heraclius) also known as Constantine III was elected emperor after a revolt overthrew his uncle Heracleonas who had been associate emperor and Augustus of Heraclius from 638. During his reign the Arabs continued their advance and Egypt was overcome the fall of 642. Constans elected his son Constantine co-emperor in 654. They conducted a campaign against the Slavs in the Balkans with some sucess, transporting large numbers of slavs to Asia Monor where they served in the army. He died in 668 after moving his imperial capital to Syracuse. He was murdered by a bath attendent (reportedly with a stone soap dish) and was suceeded by his son Constantine IV.

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Faced by a siege by caliph Muawija I, of Constantinople, he was the first to use the famous "greek fire:. Though it took four years, the Arabs were forced to retreat, which prevented the Muslim tide from sweeping over a infant Europe, a moment of great historical significance. Constantine deposed his two brothers, Heraclius and Tiberius, and ruled alone until his death in 685. He was succeeded by his 16 yr old son Justinian.

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The reign of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos was a period of artistic activity and learning. This period also saw the collection and copying of Greek books of antiquity.

The luxury of the court of this time can be seen from its treasures. These include deeply spiritual items such as ivory triptychs (for example, the ivory from the Pushkin Museum representing Christ blessing Emperor Constantine VII), or imperious expressions of power, such as the Troyes Casket, or even parodies of pagan images, such as the Veroli Casket.

In 949 the western ambassador Liudprand of Cremona was received by Constantine VII at his court. The ambassador’s amazement at the luxury is apparent from his description:

“Before the emperor’s throne stood a tree, made of gilded bronze, ist branches filled with birds also gold, uttering different cries, depending on their species. The throne was so marvellously fashioned that at one moment it seemed a low structure, and at another it rose high into the air. It was immense and guarded by lions made of bronze or of wood covered over with gold who beat the ground with their tails and gave a dreadful roar with open mouths and quivering tongues … I three times made obeisance to the emperor with my face upon the ground.”

ex from "'Archaeology in Europe' Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos"

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Theodure Comnenus-Ducas (1224-1230), Mamuel Comenus-Ducas (1230-1237), John Comnenus-Ducas(1237-1244). Rising from the Despotate of Epirus after the fall of Constantinople in 1204, Theodore in 1224 conquered and was crowned emperor. Defeated by the Bulgarian czar John Asen II, his place was taken by his brother Manuel. Theodore however re-appeared and Manuel was deposed. But instead of rescending the throne he elevated his son John. However Thessalonica accepted the overloardship of Nicae and John Comnenus accepted the lesser status of despot.

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Established in 1204 after the fall of Constantinople by Alexius Comnenus grandson of Andronicus I, on the southern Black sea coast. Protected by a range of mountains from the Anatolian plateau, it remained under control of one of the remaining Byzantine rulers till 1461.

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These are some of the coins produced by the autonomous Latin states established in the Eastern Mediterranean The earliest coins were Byzantine inspired 12th century coppers of Antioch and Edessa. Included are some French rulers involved in the crusades.

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After the nearly eight years of disastrous rule by Phocas, Heraclius , a former leading general under Maurice Tiberius and Exarch of Carthage took up arms against Phocas and his reign of terror. It however took two years before Heraclius son, of the same name finally was able to overtake Constantinople, depose Phocas and put him to death. Heraclius was 35, and unmarried, he shortly married an African girl name Fabia who died after they had a son and daughter. He ruled solely from 610-13 CE and then jointly with his infant son Heraclius Constantine. He remarried and had another son named Heraclonas who was named co-emperor in 638CE. Despite inheriting the disaster of his predecessor, Heraclius was able to crush the Persians and his campaigns in Persia are considered by some to be the most brilliant chapter in Byzantine history. Here ends what is considered the Justinianean period and begins the Heraclian period.

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After Andronicus I was overthrown Isaac II was the next emperor. He struggled with the Cusades and the second Bulgarian Empire. During this time Isaas personally lead a number of expeditions. During one of these his older brother proclaimed himself as emperor Alexios III, and had Isaac blinded and imprisoned in Constantinople.

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John took control of Thessalonica in 1237 after spending seven years as a prisoner with his father Theodore in the Bulgarian royal court. Though never clearly emperor he was accorded the right to mint coins in his name likely by Ioan Asen II of Bulgaria. However after the death of Ioan John II took advantage and led his Nicean troops to Thessalonica and John gave up his imperial rights and became a vassal of John II until 1244 his death. He has over 30 different types of coins in a difficult diversity to arrange.

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John II Komnenos also known as John the Beautiful was the oldest son of Alexios Komnenos and Irene Doukaina. Though he succeeded his father in 1118, he had been co-emperor since 1092. He is recorded as being a exceptionaly moral ruler for that time, He never condemned any one to death and dispensed charity easily. While hunting on April 8, 1143 he was accidentally infected by a poisoned arrow, but befor his death he choose his youngest son Manuel Komneno to be his successsor.

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John Ducas-Vatatzes succeeded to the Nicaean throne in 1222 after suceeding from his father in law Theodore Lascaris. He captured Thessalonica in 1246 from the Latins, and cleared Epirus in 1254. He reestablished the Greek culture, improved the system of goverment. He and his wife Irene Lascaris had a son na,ed Theodure who rose to the throne after his Fathers death.

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Justin I while in a career in the imperial army under Anastasius became commander of the excubitores in Constantinople. On the death of Anastasius he was chosen for succession. Most of his policy was developed by his nephew Justinian who suceed him on his death.

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A few months before his death, Justin elevated his well educated, intelligent but somewhat thankless nephew Justinian to the rank of co-emperor.

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Came to power after his uncle Justinian I died, and proceeded to lose much of the empire that Justinian had regained during his reign. Sophia his srong minded wife is accounted by some for much of his misrule. He raised one of his generals, Tiberius to the rank of Augustus and co-emperor and shortly afterwards died.

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Justinian having had influence in his uncle's Justin imperial policy started on his own reign in 527 and for the next 38 years ruled the Byzantine Empire along with his wife Theodura. Despite the contoversy of Theoduro being a actress, she became a recognized leader in her own right. Famous for the building of the church of St. Sophia which still stands, Justinian also recovered North Africa from the Vandals and regained a footing in Spain for the last time. He codified Roman law which influenced jurisprudence for generations following.

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In April 1204, Frankish and Venetian Crusaders ransacked, looted and seized Constantinople at the end of the Fourth Crusade. Nicetas Choniates, as well as Pope Innocent II both recorded how the Crusaders tore down the alters and melted the ancient bronze statues of Constantinople to melt in to small bronze coins. Theodure Lascaris son-in-law of Alexius II fled to Nicaea and set up a empire in 1208. The empire was divided roughly in three shares, each receiving a small part of Constantinople and a part farher away. One for a Latin emperor, one for the Venetians and one for the Frankish contingent, all with a number of overlapping emperors and coinage. In 1261 Michael VIII Palaeologus, founder of the last Byzantine dynasty was crowned (or recrowned as he had been co-emperor with the Nicaean Emperor John IV) in the ancient church of St. Sophia, and commited himself to the resotoration of the Byzantine Empire.

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Leo associated his son as co-emperor Christmas day 813. This after being acclaimed emperor after Michael I was defeated at Versinikia by the Bulgarians. He attempted to restore the Empire, but also wanted to restore iconoclasm, which was quite a unpopular move. Enough so that he was assassinated in the Hagia Sophia Christmas day 820. His family was banished to an island and Michael the Amorian was proclaimed emperor.

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Leo VI "the wise" the second ruler of the Macedonian dynasty after Basil I, had a mixed fortune leading the empire. Reportedly well read which lead to his surname. He lost the major battle of Boulgarophygon in 896 and ended up having to pay tribute to the Bulgarians to the north. His heir was from his mistress Zoe, who he eventually had declared as his wife by the church. He had his son Constantine VII crowned as co-emperor May 15th, 908 when he was only two years old to solidify his position as heir.

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He was the youngest son of John II his reign of 37 years saw the last flourishing of the Byzantine empire. Through the influence of the First Crusade, Manuel had developed a proclivity to western ways as well as having a enjoyment of adventure. He struggled with the Second Crusades allowing the armies or mobs of the west entry and passage through his empire while at the same time they eyed the treasures of the great capital of Constantinople, He struggled with the Seljuqs of Rome at Iconium, and was nearly destroyed by the Turks at Myriocephalon. He survived but in broken health, and retired to Constantinople to spend his last four years of life. Alexius II his son from his second wife (daughter of the Prince of Antioch) inherited his throne for several years though no coins were struck by him.

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Maurice Tiberius a general under Justin II and well known for his campaign against the Persions was a popular figure assuming power after Maurice Tiberius death. Soon however his neglect of state affairs and to the miltary caused his popularity to suffer. The army soon became disgruntled and he and his son Theodosis (his techincal co ruler) were overthrown and murdered. by Phocas.

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Following the death of Nicephorus I in battle in 811, Michael Rhangabe his brother in law came to the throne. He reversed many of his predecessor monetary policies, Michael I attempted to carry out a policy of reconciliation, abandoning the exacting taxation instituted by Nikephoros I. While reducing imperial income, Michael generously distributed money to the army, the bureaucracy, and the Church.

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Michael II (Greek: Μιχαήλ Β', Mikhaēl II), surnamed the Amorian (ὁ ἐξ Ἀμορίου) or the Stammerer (ὁ Τραυλός or ὁ Ψελλός), reigned as Byzantine emperor from December 820 to his death on 2 October 829, and the first ruler of the Phrygian or Amorian dynasty. He followed Leo V who had jailed him and when partisans freed hime he murdered Leo V during Christmas mass in the palace chapel. He immediately was proclaimed Emperor reportedly still wearing chains on his legs.

He was not popular among the Orthodox church clergy, being considered poorly educated, he never the less was considered a competent emperor bringing stability and restoring the military. He was followed by his son Theophilios

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A short reign of only seven years Michael VII, the son of Eudocia and Constantine X, he became ruler at a young age when Byzantium was beset with a number of enemies on her frontiers. The Normans under Robert Guiscard took over southern Italy, and the Seljuqs overran a large part of Asia Minor. Michael who reportedly was under control of his tutor Michael Psellus was retired to a monastery and Nicephorus Botaniates took power for three short years.

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Michael Palaeologus was a Regent for Emperor John IV (1258) and crowned c0-emperor the same year, beginning the restoration of the Byzantine empire and recaptured Constantinople in 1261. He was the founder of one of the greatest Byzantine dynasties. Considered a diplomat of reknown he reestablished Constantinople as a force in the area. He had a extensive coinage from the three mints of Constantinople, Magnesia, and Thessalonica.

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The first Roman emperor to fall in battle since Valens in 378. Prior his death he had reinstated a number of financial reforms which improved the empire. He had previously fought and pushed back the Bulgarians but when pursuing their leader Krum, he was ambushed and killed.

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Nicephorus Phocas was born sometime in the year 912 to the wealthy and aristocratic Phocas family of Cappadocia. The Phocas family was known as one of the most outstanding military families in all Byzantium, as well as the largest land-holding family in Cappadocia. His father was Bardas Phocas, who was Domestic of the East during the reign of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, but had retired in 942. Nicephorus succeeded him in the post.

Nicephorus, whose name means “Bringer of Victory”, proved to be a better general than his father was. Indeed, he was such an adept military leader that he was feared by the Moslem world as the “White Death of the Saracens.” To the Byzantines, he was respected as one of the empire’s greatest generals. He was known for his almost Cromwellian discipline, and was one of the most Puritannical leaders in all of Byzantine history. He didn’t drink, chase women, or even eat meat. When he was young he had been married to a woman whose name is unknown, and had a son named Bardas. Unfortunately, his wife had died, and Bardas was killed in a javelin-throwing accident, while practicing military tactics with a cousin. Nicephorus was so grieved by the deaths of his wife and son that he vowed never to drink wine, chase women, or eat meat for the rest of his life. He had even intended to enter a monastery, at the urging of his friend, St. Athanasius. However, his plans were changed by unfortunate events in Constantinople.

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Nicephorus III Botaniates served as general under Constantine IX and Romanos IV Diogenes. Under Michael VII Doukas he became governor and commander of the troops in Asia Minor. He revolted against Michael VII and marched upon Nicaea, where he proclaimed himself emperor in 1078. Nikephoros became dependent on the support of Alexios Komnenos. The Byzantine Empire also faced foreign invasion from the Norman’s such as Robert Guiscard. Alexios was entrusted to combat the impending Norman invasion, however during this, Caesar John, Doukas conspired to overthrow Nikephoros and replace him with Alexios. Nikephoros III had to abdicate in favour of Komnenos dynasty to which he is connected with engagement of his grandson to daughter of Alexios older brother Manuel. The deposed emperor retired into a monastery that he had endowed, and died later the same year

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After Maurice Tiberius and his entire family was murdered, Phocas crowned himself emperor. While launching a campaign of terror and muder to keep himself in power, he met with military disaster from both the east and west. The Exarch of Africa Heraclius, sent his son also called Heraclius to Constantinople with a fleet, seized and executed Phocas.
The coins of Phocas are unusual because they revive an interest in portraiture, which the engravers of the stylized portraits of most early Byzantine emperors had long ignored. In contrast to the busts of other sixth-century emperors, the portrait of Phocas emphasizes his barbarian heritage. His pointed beard and his straight, shaggy hair give him a distinctly foreign appearance, and he wears a simple crown and a military cloak, the paludamentum, fastened with a fibula or pin on the right shoulder. His beard set a precedent for most later emperors.

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Pirdop Hoard

The following collection is a group of 32 bronze coins found reportedly as a hoard

The 32 coins consist of five emperors from the earliest and only one of Justin I (518-27) with illegible mint date, to the latest coins that being two Heraclius follis (sb 834) yr. 612/3 and (sb805) yr. 613/4. There are four coins of Justinian I, a large and small follis of sb 163, one unk Justinian follis and a sb160. The most plentiful variety of which there are 17 is of Justin II. Nine, which are of the Constantinople mint (all sb360), five of Nicomedia (4 sb369, 1 sb370) two Thessalonica (sb366 and one unk half follis) and one from Cyzicus (sb 372). There are no coins of Tiberius II Constantine. There are six coins of Maurice Tiberius, three sb 509, one sb 497 and one sb 518. There are two unidentified coins, one being a half follis and the one a clipped Pentanummium.

The coins are of good metal al in reasonably good condition showing little wear as in typical for these. There is a heavy green cupreous oxide patina on some of the coins obscuring details. Several have uneven strikes.

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The politikon coinage represents a group of 14th century Byzantine coins with a common feature of the inscription +IIOAITKON possibly meaning coins intended for a specific need. The coins are usually billion about 250/1000 fine according to Phillip Grierson and weigh between .5 and 1 g., copper versions weighing up to 2g. Usually attributed to Constantinople, there is some debate that a provincial mint sooth of Thessalonica might be of account.

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Romanus IV (Romanus Diogenes) (dīŏj'ənēz), d. 1072, Byzantine emperor (1068-71). A Cappadocian general, he succeeded Constantine X by marrying his widow, Eudocia Macrembolitissa. After some early successes against the Seljuk Turks he was crushingly defeated and captured (1071) by Alp Arslan at Manzikert. He was ransomed and promised to pay tribute, but he was deposed and blinded by his stepson, Michael VII, and soon died.

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After the fall of Constantinople in 1204, some of the Byzantines who fled established and empire in exile around Theodure I Comnenus-Lascaris. He soon admist utter chaos managed to start the reconstitution of the Byzantine empire. Theodure died in 1222, followed by John III (1222-54) and Theodore II Ducas-Lascaris (1254-58).

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