Philip I (A.D. 244-249) ‘the Arab’ Antoninianus Very Fine

Valerian was from a traditional Roman senatorial family and had a long, distinguished career. In A.D. 253, at 58, he was declared emperor and his son, Gallienus, was made joint ruler. Valerian left Gallienus in the West and took command in the East. He campaigned against the Persians and restored order but, in A.D. 260 he and his army were captured alive by the Persian king, Shapur. Legends talk of Shapur using Valerian as a footstool, a mounting step and feeding him molten gold; then flaying him and placing the skin on display. But, in all stone carvings on the necropolis of Naghshe-Rostamhat, Valerian is showing holding hands with Shapur in submission as a living prisoner. Also, Band-e Kaisar (Caesar’s Dam) near modern Shushtar, Iran was built around the time of Valerian with Roman techniques, alien to anything around. I suspect he and his captured army was put to work! We may never know sadly, a mystery lost to time. What you can have though is a coin from his reign, before he was captured! We have a little group of his billon silver Antoninianus in Very Fine condition. Enjoy your coin of the ensnared emperor.

Born in 630 A.D., Constans II became the Byzantine Emperor at the tender age of 11, reigning from 641 to 668 A.D. Despite his youth, he confronted a myriad of challenges, including conflicts with the Arab Caliphate and internal strife within the empire. In an endeavour to evade persistent threats from the Arab Caliphate, Constans II made the significant decision to relocate the capital from Constantinople to Syracuse. Notable for his initiatives to fortify the Byzantine military and his contributions to architecture, Constans II’s reign came to a tragic end in 668 A.D. when he was assassinated during a rebellion orchestrated by his chamberlain. We are offering these 40 Nummi struck in Constantinople on irregular shaped flans showing a beardless Constans on the obverse and a large M on the reverse, all have a sandy/earth patina, and they come in VG-Fine grade and are very reasonably priced.

Over 800 years old