I intend first to portray the historical background behind the coins. If you are not interesting in the history part then just skip down. This is not intended to be exhaustive or academic, and I could be wrong in some minor things. In 1071 the Byzantine Empire was on the edge of collapse. The later emperors had giving power to the aristocracy over the lands instead of supporting the farmers which was the backbone of the Theme-system(which was a reliable military system to sustain soldiers constructed in the second half of seventh century), and also the emperors sought mercenaries to fill their military ranks instead of using own men. The monetary system was also broken because the latter emperors made debasement of the gold content in their gold coins. In term of geography the Normans had take south Italy and intended to launch an attack on Byzantium as a Norman guy wanted to be Byzantine emperor. Balkan was attacked by two nomadic groups Pecheneges and Cumans, and in 1071 the Byzantines were inflected a disastrous defeat in the Battle of Manzikert which meant that most of Anatolia was floated by Seljuq Turks. To summarize it easily: However in 1081 Alexius Comennus became the Byzantine emperor, and he launched what the historians today call “Komnenian Restoration”. First he allied himself with Venice and thus he neutralized the Normans. Then he turned his attention in Balkan and bribed/persuaded the Cumans to attack the Pechenegs in Balkan. And finally he called upon the Pope in Rome to receive some men in order to take Anatolia back. That was one of the reason for the first Crusade. A combined army of Byzantines and Crusaders repelled the Turks and took most of Anatolia back, especially the rich coastal areas, while the Crusader States were established in Levant. Alexius Comennus fixed the military system with a system called “Pronoia” in which I will not annoy with details, and also he initiated a new monetary system where Hyperpyron replaced the defunct Histamenon. So from being on the edge of collapsing as shown with the image above, the things turned completely different at the end of his reign: Alexius Comennus practically gave the Byzantine state 100 more years as strong state. The Byzantine state was not as strong as under Macedonian Dynasty prior, but it was still the most powerful in the eastern Mediterranean world. Now this leads to 3 coins I want to show from the Comnenus Dynasty. The first one I have shown before, but not the two next: Alexius I Comnenus, defunct Histamenon(?), 4,32 gram, 31mm, sear 1893. That coin was before the reformation of the monetary system hence that Histamenon is practically silver rather than gold. John II Comnenus, Hyperpyron, 4,28gram and 32mm, Sear 1938. That coin clearly has more content of gold, due to the monetary reform initiated by his father. Note the double face of Jesus, conclave coins are difficult to strike. There is usually a lot of earth on it so bear with it. Manuel Comnenus, Asper, 2,6gram and 21mm, Sear 2601. Weird denomination minted In Trebizond.
Very nice! However, the Norman in the map is looking far too barbarous for me... Here's Roger II: Although their northern kindred look a bit more awesome in my opinion... Here's a related Norman coin. I would love to get a Roger II or a Tancredi, but for now I've just got Roger's grandson: Norman Kingdom of Sicily William II, r. 1166-1189 A.D. Messina Mint, AE Follaro, 17.23mm x 1.7 grams Obv.: + OPERATAT IN VRBE MESSANE outside, O / REX W / SCOVS in center (OV ligate) Rev.: Arabic legend"al'malik / Ghulyalim / al-thani" (King William 2nd) in center, "bi-amr al-malik al-musta'izz" around edge Love the write-up and coin, Herberto!
Very nice write-up Herberto. The coinage of Alexius is very interesting, especially with the divisions of pre and post reformation. I have been slowly adding to my Alexius collection, and hopefully, one day I will have added majority of the coins he had issued: Pre-Reformation Coinage Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) AR Histamenon nomisma, Thessalonica (Sear-1904; DOC 5a) Obv: +KЄ B Θ ΛΛЄZIW; IC XC in field; Bust of Christ, bearded and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion; holds Gospels in left hand Rev: • ΔIMITI ΔЄCΠTH; Full-length figure of emperor facing, on right, and of St. Demetrius, beardless and nimbate, facing to right and handing to emperor labarum on long shaft standing on globule Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Follis, Thessalonica (Sear-1909; DOC 18) Obv: MP ΘV in field; Bust of Virgin nimbate, wearing tunic and maphorion; holds beardless, nimbate head of Christ on breast Rev: ΛΛЄΞI ΔЄCΠOTTWK; Full-length figure of Alexius wearing stemma, divitision, collar-piece, and jeweled loros of simplified typel holds in right hand labarum on long shaft and in left, globus cruciger Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Follis, Thessalonica (Sear-1911; DOC 19) Obv: Cross potent set on two steps; pellet at each termination of arm Rev: CЄP CVN/ЄPΓЄI BA/CIΛЄI AΛ/ЄZIω in five lines Post-Reformation Coinage Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Tetarteron, Constantinople (Sear-1922; DOC-35) Obv: IC XC in field; Christ, bearded and nimate, wearing tunic and kolobion, seated on throne without back; holds Gospels in left hand Rev: +ΛΛЄΞIW ΔΕC; Bust of Alexius wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys; holds in right hand cruciform scepter and in left, globus cruciger Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Tetarteron, Thessalonica (Sear-1929; DOC 38) Obv: IC XC in field; Bust of Christ, bearded and nimate, wearing tunic and kolobion; holds Gospels (open) in left hand. Pellet in each limb of nimbus cross Rev: +Λ C Ξ; Bust of Alexius wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys; holds in right hand cruciform scepter and in left, globus cruciger Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Tetarteron, Thessalonica (Sear-1931; DOC 40) Obv: TWK O MNH; Bust of Alexius wearing stemma, divitision, and jeweled loros of traditional type; holds in right hand cruciform scepter and in left, globus cruciger Rev: Jeweled, radiate cross, decorated at end of each limb with one large globule and two smaller, all on two steps; C-Φ/AΛ-Δ in angles Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) PB Tetarteron, Uncertain Mint (DOC 42) Obv: IC XC in field; Bust of Christ, bearded and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion; holds Gospels (open) in left hand; Pellet in each limb of nimbus cross Rev: +ΛΛCΞ ΔΕC; Bust of emperor wearing stemma, divitision, and jeweled loros of traditional type; holds in right hand scepter cruciger and in left globus cruciger Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Tetarteron, Uncertain Mint (Sear-1933; DOC 43) Obv: IC XC in field; Full-length figure of Christ, bearded and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion; holds Gospels in left hand Rev: +ΛΛЄ ΞIWΔΕC; Full-length figure of Alexius wearing stemma, divitision, and jeweled loros of simplified type; holds in right hand labarum on long shaft and in left, globus cruciger Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Tetartemorion, Thessalonica (Sear-1934 ; DOC 44) Obv: MP ΘV in field; Bust of Virgin nimbate, wearing tunic and maphorion Rev: ΛΛC; Bust of Alexius wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys; holds in right hand labarum on long shaft and in left, globus cruciger Byzantine Empire: Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118) Æ Tetarteron, Uncertain Mint (Sear-1932 ; DOC 45) Obv: A-A / K-Φ; Patriarchal cross set on two steps. Rev: AΛEΞI; Bust of Alexius wearing stemma, divitision, and jeweled loros of traditional type; holds in right hand jeweled scepter, and in left hand, globus cruciger Anonymous Follis of Alexius I Byzantine Empire: Æ Anonymous Class J Follis, Attributed to Alexius I Comnenus (Sear-1900; DOC J.1) Obv: Bust of Christ Pantocrator facing, bearded, with cross behind head, wearing tunic and himation; right hand raised in blessing in sling of cloak, left clasps book to breast. In upper angles of cross, two crescents. In field, IC - XC. Rev: Latin cross with large pellets at each extremity. Beneath the cross, large crescent. To left and right, above and below, large pellets surrounded by small pellets. Byzantine Empire: Æ Anonymous Class K Follis, Attributed to Alexius I Comnenus (Sear-1901; DOC K.1) Obv: Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left hand, book of Gospels; to left, IC; to right, XC. Border of large pellets. Rev: Three-quarter length figure of the Virgin orans facing. She is nimbate and wears pallium and maphorium; to left of nimbus, M; to right, Θ.
Continuation of the Commenus Dynasty: Byzantine Empire: John II Comnenus Ducas (1118-1143) AV Hyperpyron, Constantinople Mint (Sear-1938; DOC-1a) Obv: IC XC in upper field; Christ bearded and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion, seated upon throne without back; right hand raised in benediction, holds Gospels in left Rev: Half-length figure of emperor on left, and of Virgin, holding between them patriarchal cross on long shaft. Emperor wears stemmam divitision, collar-piece, and paneled loros of simplified type; holds anexikakia in right. Virgin wears tunic and maphorion. Manus Dei in upper left field Byzantine Empire: John II Comnenus Ducas (1118-1143) BI Tetateron, Constantinople (Sear-1945; DOC-12) Obv: Nimbate figure of Christ standing on footstool holding book of Gospels, IC XC with contraction marks in left and right field. Rev: [+Ιω Δ]ΕCΠΟΤ Τω ΠΟΡΦΥΡOΓNT; emperor standing facing wearing crown and chlamys, holding jeweled cruciform sceptre and globus cruciger. Byzantine Empire: John II Comnenus Ducas (1118-1143) Billon-Aspron Trachy, Constantinople (Sear-1944) Obv: IC - XC. Bust of Christ facing, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, and raising right hand in benediction; in left, book of Gospels. Rev: IW ΔΕCΠΟT T ΠΦVPOΓNT. Bust facing, wearing crown and loros, holding cruciform sceptre and globus cruciger.
Here's SBC1905, a similar type Alexius I AR Histamenon to the one posted by @Quant.Geek but instead of a labarum they jointly hold a patriarchal cross.
