(sold for $24.0)

CoinWorldTV

Byzantine Empire, Anastasius I (512-517 AD) Large Bronze 40 Nummi Coin. VF-

Denomination: 40 Nummi
Mint period: 539-540 AD
Mint Place: Constantinople
Emperor: Justinian I (527-565)
Reference: DOC 23d, MIBE 27, Sear 19.
Condition: Green patina, scratches (improperly cleaned), otherwise VF!
Weight: 16.68gm
Diameter: 35mm
Material: Bronze

Obverse: Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Emperor Anastasius I right.
Legend: D N ANASTASIVS P P AVG

Reverse: Mark of value M (=40), officina letter (G) within, cross above, stars at sides. Mint name (CON for Constantinople) in exergue.

In Eastern Christianity, the most widely used Christogram is a four-letter abbreviation, ΙϹ ΧϹ — a traditional abbreviation of the Greek words for "Jesus Christ" (i.e., the first and last letters of each of the words "ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ, with the lunate sigma "Ϲ" common in medieval Greek), and written with titlo (diacritic) denoting scribal abbreviation (І҃С Х҃С). On icons, this Christogram may be split: "ΙϹ" on the left of the image and "ΧϹ" on the right. It is sometimes rendered as "ΙϹ ΧϹ ΝΙΚΑ", meaning "Jesus Christ Conquers." "ΙϹΧϹ" may also be seen inscribed on the Ichthys. In the traditional icon of Christ Pantokrator, Christ's right hand is shown in a pose where his fingers bend and cross to form the letters ΙϹ, Χ, and Ϲ.

Anastasius I (Latin: Flavius Anastasius Augustus, Greek: Ἀναστάσιος; c. 431 – 9 July 518) was Eastern Roman Emperor from 491 to 518. His reign was characterized by substantive accomplishments, which were representative of emerging patterns of government, economy, and bureaucracy in the Eastern Roman empire. In addition, Anastasius I is known for leaving the imperial government with a sizable budget surplus due to minimization of government corruption, reforms to the tax code, and the introduction of a new form of currency.

Anastasius was born at Dyrrachium, the date is unknown, but he is thought to have been born no later than 430 or 431. He was born into an Illyrian family, the son of Pompeius (born c. 410), nobleman of Dyrrachium, and wife Anastasia Constantina (born c. 410). His mother was an Arian, sister of Clearchus, also an Arian, and a paternal granddaughter of Gallus (born c. 370), son of Anastasia (born c. 352) and husband, in turn daughter of Flavius Claudius Constantius Gallus and wife and cousin Constantina. Before becoming emperor, Anastasius was a particularly successful administrator in the department of finance.

Anastasius had one eye black and one eye blue (heterochromia), and for that reason he was nicknamed Dicorus (Greek: Δίκορος, "two-pupiled").

Following the death of Zeno (491), there is strong evidence that many Roman citizens wanted both a Roman and an Orthodox Christian emperor. In the weeks following Zeno's death, crowds gathered in Constantinople exclaiming "Give the Empire an Orthodox Emperor! Give the Empire a Roman Emperor!" Under such pressure, Ariadne, Zeno's widow, turned to Anastasius I. Anastasius was in his sixties at the time of his ascension to the throne. Religiously, he was fairly overt in his sympathy for the Monophysites. Consequently, as a condition of his rule, the Patriarch of Constantinople required that he pledge not to repudiate the Council of Chalcedon. It is noteworthy that Ariadne chose Anastasius over Zeno's brother Longinus, who was arguably the more logical choice. The decision upset the Isaurians, but it also was not appreciated by the Blues and the Greens who had been patronized by Longinus. The Blues and Greens subsequently showed a tendency to riot and cause mayhem.

Ariadne married Anastasius shortly after his accession on 20 May 491. His reign, though afterwards disturbed by foreign and internecine wars and religious distractions, commenced auspiciously. He gained the popular favour by a judicious remission of taxation, and displayed great vigour and energy in administering the affairs of the Empire.

Anastasius engaged in the Isaurian War against the usurper Longinus and the Anastasian War against Sassanid Persia.

The Isaurian War (492-497) was stirred up by the Isaurian supporters of Longinus (consul 486), (the brother of Zeno) who was passed over in his succession in favor of Anastasius. The battle of Cotyaeum in 492 "broke the back" of the revolt, but guerrilla warfare continued in the Isaurian mountains for some years longer. The warfare in the mountains seems to have been stalemated due largely to the Isaurians retaining of the Papirius Castle. Importantly, though this war lasted five years, Anastasius passed legislation related to the economy in the mid-490s, suggesting that the Isaurian War did not absorb all of the energy and resources of the government.

In the Anastasian War (502–505), Theodosiopolis and Amida were captured by the Sassanids, but Persian provinces also suffered severely and the Byzantines recovered Amida. Both adversaries were exhausted when peace was made in 506 on the basis of the status quo. Anastasius afterwards built the strong fortress of Daras to hold the Persians in check in Nisibis. The Balkan provinces were left denuded of troops, however, and were devastated by invasions of Slavs and Bulgars; to protect Constantinople and its vicinity against them, the emperor built the Anastasian Wall, extending from the Propontis to the Euxine.

The Emperor was a convinced Miaphysite, following the teachings of Cyril of Alexandria and Severus of Antioch who taught "One Incarnate Nature of Christ" in an undivided union of the Divine and human natures, but his ecclesiastical policy was moderate; he endeavoured to maintain the principle of the Henotikon of Zeno and the peace of the church. Yet, in 512, perhaps emboldened after his military success against the Persians, Anastasius I deposed the Patriarch of Chalcedon and replaced him with a Monophysite; violating his agreement with the Patriarch of Constantinople and precipitating riots in Chalcedon. The following year, Vitalian started a rebellion, quickly defeating an imperial army and marching on Constantinople. With the army closing in, Anastasius I gave Vitalian the title of commander of the Army of Thrace and began communicating with the pope regarding a potential end to the Acacian schism. Two years later, general Marinus attacked Vitalian and forced him and his troops to the Northern part of Thrace. Following the end of this conflict, Emperor Anastasius had undisputed control of the Empire until his death in 518.

Additionally, during his reign, the Roman eastern frontier underwent extensive re-fortification, including the construction of Dara, a stronghold intended to counter the Persian fortress of Nisibis. Also during his reign, one of the most fortified castle cities on the Adriatic, Durrës Castle in Durrës, was constructed.

Though a Christian; he was the last Roman Emperor to be deified on his death.

The Anonymous Valesianus tells an account about his choosing of a successor: Anastasius could not decide which of his three nephews should succeed him, so he put a message under a couch and had his nephews take seats in the room, which also had two other seats; he believed that the nephew to sit on the special couch would be his proper heir. However, two of his nephews sat on the same couch, and the one with the concealed message remained empty.

Then, after putting the matter to God in prayer, he determined that the first person to enter his room the next morning should be the next Emperor, and that person was Justin, the chief of his guards. In fact, Anastasius probably never thought of Justin as a successor, but the issue was decided for him after his death. At the end of his reign, he left the Imperial treasury with 23,000,000 solidi or 320,000 pounds of gold.

Anastasius died childless in Constantinople on 9 July 518 (some sources say 8 or 10 July) and was buried at the Church of the Holy Apostles.

Anastasius is known to have had a brother named Flavius Paulus, who served as Roman consul in 496. A sister-in-law, known as Magna, was mother to Irene and mother-in-law to Olybrius. This Olybrius was son of Anicia Juliana and Areobindus Dagalaiphus Areobindus. The daughter of Olybrius and Irene was named Proba. She married Probus and was mother to a younger Juliana. This younger Juliana married another Anastasius and was mother of Areobindus, Placidia, and a younger Proba. Another nephew of Anastasius was Flavius Probus, Roman consul in 502. Caesaria, sister of Anastasius, married Secundinus, and were parents to Hypatius and Pompeius. Flavius Anastasius Paulus Probus Moschianus Probus Magnus, Roman Consul in 518 also was a great-nephew of Anastasius. His daughter Juliana later married Marcellus, a brother of Justin II. The extensive family may well have included viable candidates for the throne.

type to read more
Price
This coin has been sold for   $24.0

Notes: http://www.ebay.com/itm/371768411389 2016-10-27

Page Cache: http://st.coinshome.net/page-cache/84c0d98fcda542ecb0a3b9496cbaca1a.html
Posted by: anonymous
2016-10-21
 
Additional views:
2024-03-26 - New coin is added to 5 Centimo Costa Rica Copper/Nickel


    5 Centimo Costa Rica Copper/Nickel
group has    2 coins / 2 prices



COSTA RICA 1914 GCR 5 CENTIMOS COAT OF ARMS SILVER WORLD COIN
2024-03-26 - New coin is added to 2 Anna British Raj (1858-1947) Silver Edward VII (1841-1910)


    2 Anna British Raj (1858-1947) Silver Edward VII (1841-1910)
group has    10 coins / 8 prices



INDIA (British) 2 Annas 1910 - Silver 0.917 - Edward VII. - VF - 4662 *
You may be interested in ...
Market
Dynasty tree and coins
Check yourself!

Coin Puzzle
Coins Prices