Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • Benefactor
Posted

Here is another acquire from the FSR auction at the end of January.

Tiberius II

AE Follis, Nicomedia 28mm 12.7 grams

Obv: DM Tib Constant PP AVG, crowned, mantled bust holding mappa and eagle tipped scepter.

Rev: Large M and ANNO left, cross above, regnal year to right NIKOA

Reference: SB 441, MIB 35

PXL_20240131_005920602.jpg.dbe42e75bcbaf7635f6d66551a504eaf.jpg

PXL_20240131_005930347.jpg.47570147b6f09d09e9ec16a560b901c0.jpg

Please share any Tiberius II coins or other Byzantines 

  • Like 7
Posted

Neat.  The only photographed Tiberius II I have is thus:

TiberiusII-578-582-AEFollis-Sear430-33mm_12.3gVFpartlyuncleanedYr8OffB.jpg.0a4fbe191f3367e6c6c50b0c65297a3b.jpg

TIBERIUS II CONSTANTINE.(578-582).Constantinople.Follis.

 

Obv : D m TIb CONSTANT P P AVC.

Crowned bust facing, wearing consular robes and holding mappa and eagle-tipped sceptre; above eagle, cross.

 

Rev : Large m between A/N/N/O and GII; above, cross; in exergue, CON A. 

Sear 430.

 

Condition : Earthen deposits.Very nice green patina.Very fine.

 

Weight : 12.3 gr

Diameter : 33 mm

 

Biga is the slowest vcoins' dealer I've dealt with (and I made a successful order with Opisthodomos), but I've been super-pleased with teh coins themselves.

I missed this when ordering (hurry and my bad eye), but it was pointed out to me that the remaining dirt is covering up corrosion.  However, the visible stuff looks inert, and it's in eons better condition, wearwise than normally encountered.

I still want one of the enormous year 5 issues.

  • Like 8
Posted

Nice examples, @Ancient Coin Hunter and @Nerosmyfavorite68. Tiberius II Constantine seems to defy decently preserved portraits on coinage. I came across this one later last year from Constantinople and thought "good enough for the type." 😄 I'm currently reading The History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours, written in the late 6th century, and Tiberius II Constantine appears in the book's modern index, as do a few other early Byzantine Emperors. Gregory updated the book until his death in 594, so not too long before Phocas revolts against Maurice Tiberius in 602. I'm curious to see what happens between the Franks and the Byzantines in this chronicle. It claims to cover the history of the world, beginning with the Genesis account of creation (Gregory was a Christian bishop), to the then "present." As such, it's bulging with miracles, torture, death, heresies, and usurpations. So far, I've grimaced many times and laughed out loud at least a few times. It quotes from books now lost. Gregory also can't believe that the early chroniclers did not write down the names of the first Frankish Kings. He searches for the names in vain. It also begins with a great opening line: "A great many things keep happening, some of them good, some of them bad." That just about sums it all up, even to the current present day.

578_to_582_TiberiusIIConstantine_AE_Follis_01.png.0cf60ee6db388bc46e01ff7a08a52325.png578_to_582_TiberiusIIConstantine_AE_Follis_02.png.89d463f2f2e28de3cdefff48e1d88cef.png
Tiberius II Constantine. 578-582 AD. Æ Follis (37mm, 16,64g, 12h). Constantinople mint. Dated year 5 (578/9 AD); Obv: d M TIb CONS-TANT PP AVC, crowned facing bust in consular robes, holding mappa and eagle-tipped sceptre; Rev: Large M; cross above, ANNO to left, u to right; CONE. MIBE 25; Sear 430.

  • Like 5
  • Yes 1
  • Benefactor
Posted
46 minutes ago, ewomack said:

Nice examples, @Ancient Coin Hunter and @Nerosmyfavorite68. Tiberius II Constantine seems to defy decently preserved portraits on coinage. I came across this one later last year from Constantinople and thought "good enough for the type." 😄 I'm currently reading The History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours, written in the late 6th century, and Tiberius II Constantine appears in the book's modern index, as do a few other early Byzantine Emperors. Gregory updated the book until his death in 594, so not too long before Phocas revolts against Maurice Tiberius in 602. I'm curious to see what happens between the Franks and the Byzantines in this chronicle. It claims to cover the history of the world, beginning with the Genesis account of creation (Gregory was a Christian bishop), to the then "present." As such, it's bulging with miracles, torture, death, heresies, and usurpations. So far, I've grimaced many times and laughed out loud at least a few times. It quotes from books now lost. Gregory also can't believe that the early chroniclers did not write down the names of the first Frankish Kings. He searches for the names in vain. It also begins with a great opening line: "A great many things keep happening, some of them good, some of them bad." That just about sums it all up, even to the current present day.

578_to_582_TiberiusIIConstantine_AE_Follis_01.png.0cf60ee6db388bc46e01ff7a08a52325.png578_to_582_TiberiusIIConstantine_AE_Follis_02.png.89d463f2f2e28de3cdefff48e1d88cef.png
Tiberius II Constantine. 578-582 AD. Æ Follis (37mm, 16,64g, 12h). Constantinople mint. Dated year 5 (578/9 AD); Obv: d M TIb CONS-TANT PP AVC, crowned facing bust in consular robes, holding mappa and eagle-tipped sceptre; Rev: Large M; cross above, ANNO to left, u to right; CONE. MIBE 25; Sear 430.

I read Gregory of Tours in my medieval history class in Berkeley, I do remember some of the fun commentary he offers. What really strikes me is how much the early medieval rulers at the time saw themselves in a position of fealty to the Byzantine emperor. This very real phenomenon is forgotten in modern histories of western civilization where Romulus Augustus is considered the terminal ruler after which everything went dark. But folks at the time looked to the Byzantine emperor as THE Roman emperor.

I suppose the animus between the Latins and the Byzantines around the fourth crusade began this whitewashing of history. Only in the last 30 years or so ago in works like Peter Brown's Late Antiquity has the dynamism of the period been resurrected.

  • Like 4
Posted (edited)

Here are  a small and a large Tiberius II:

Carthage, 578-82. Half siliqua. 1.06 gr. 16.4 mm. 6 hr. The reverse features a cross within a wreath bisecting the inscription LVX M/VNDI. Sear 464; Hahn 20; BNP 1-2; BMC 147-147.

Constantinople, 579. Follis. 16.97 gr. 37.8 mm. 6 hr. Sear 430; Hahn 25; DO 11a; R. 926.

Interestingly, Tiberius II is one of the few emperors whose coinage is mentioned by contemporary Byzantine authors. John of Ephesus writes in his Church History that the decision to replace the Victoria that had appeared on the reverse of the joint reign solidi of Justin II and Tiberius with the cross on steps was prompted by the emperor’s being ordered to do so in a dream.

TibII.jpg.f9643133dc52e1819149ad2111ab5b18.jpg

Edited by voulgaroktonou
  • Like 4
  • Popcorn 1

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...