Roman Byzantine | Heraclius | AE Follis | 614-615 CE | RY 5 | ⳩

Description: Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine | AE Follis Reference: SB 805 Date: 614-615 CE Obverse: dd NN hERACLIЧS ET hERA CONST PP A Crowned and draped figures of Heraclius, on left, and Heraclius Constantine, on right, standing facing, each holding globus cruciger in right hand; above, cross Reverse: Large M, A/N/N/O to left, Christogram right above, V (regnal year 5 = 614-615 CE) to right, below Δ (officina), CON in exergue Mint: Constantinople Size: 30.1 mm Weight: 11.21 grams Ex. Vitangelo w/ tag. A large bronze coin of the hero-emperor Heraclius, overstruck on a follis of Maurice Tiberius obverse to reverse. The original obverse legend readily visible on the reverse. Comes with old dealer tag. Heraclius came to the throne by leading a revolt against the usurper Phocas. Heraclius claimed the throne amidst an ongoing war with Rome's archrival, the Sassanid Persians. By the time Phocas had been expelled the Persians had overrun several eastern provinces and had entered Anatolia. By 615 CE, they were at the gates of Constantinople. Heraclius sued for a ceasefire and in the interim (with the cooperation of church leaders) melted down church treasures to create a massive source of income to reform and restructure the army. In 622, Heraclius launched a massive counterattack through Anatolia, the Caucuses, and directly into the heartland of the Persian empire. The reinvigorated Romans took the Persians by complete suprise and within a few years the Persian war effort rapidly disintegrated. Confronted with advancing Roman armies, Turkic invasions, and internal strife, the Persians had no choice but to admit defeat. All former Roman provinces were restored to Heraclius, and in 629 CE he returned the True Cross to the city of Jerusalem. Heraclius's defeat of the Persians ended a war that had been going on intermittently for almost 400 years and led to instability in the Persian Empire. For the Romans, what should have been a glorious triumph was quickly overshadowed by the onslaught of the Arabs. The ascendant Rashidun Caliphate ultimately conquered Persia and ended the Sasanian dynasty in 651 CE. Under Heraclius, the Romans continued to fight the Arabs, but gradually lost ground. By the time Heraclius died in 641 CE, the Levant and Egypt were lost. Nevertheless, Heraclius' military reforms and imperial reorganization bolstered the Empire's strength and allowed it to survive the Arab invasions. Imperial armies stopped the Muslim conquests at Anatolia and saved a core from whence the Empire's strength could regrow. And regrow it did. But that's a story for another time. The famous 18th century Roman historian Edward Gibbon had this to say of Heraclius: "Of the characters conspicuous in history, that of Heraclius is one of the most extraordinary and inconsistent. In the first and last years of a long reign, the emperor appears to be the slave of sloth, of pleasure, or of superstition, the careless and impotent spectator of the public calamities. But the languid mists of the morning and evening are separated by the brightness of the meridian sun; the Arcadius of the palace arose the Caesar of the camp; and the honor of Rome and Heraclius was gloriously retrieved by the exploits and trophies of six adventurous campaigns... Since the days of Scipio and Hannibal, no bolder enterprise has been attempted than that which Heraclius achieved for the deliverance of the empire." Policies I apply the highest ethical standards in selling ancient coins. All coins are guaranteed to be genuine and any item found to be otherwise may be returned for a full refund. The most important thing is that you are happy with your new coin(s)! All coins are shipped in PVC-free, archival-grade coin flips and inserts made of acid-free paper Domestic (USA) shipping only, except for international shipments through eBay International Shipping program. If you purchase multiple items please message me before you pay and I will combine the shipping for you. I accept all returns within 30 calendar days upon receipt of the item. No explanation is required for the return, but it would be appreciated. Any item which has been altered from its original state may not be returned. Don't see what you're looking for? Just shoot me a message, I might have it but haven't gotten around to listing it!

Price: 34.99 USD

Location: Canton, Michigan

End Time: 2024-11-25T01:43:40.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.5 USD