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Miliaresion - Basil II and Constantine VIII
| Issuer | Byzantine Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 976-989 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | The obverse presents the facing busts of co-emperors Basil II (left) and Constantine VIII (right), each crowned and wearing imperial loros, flanking a tall patriarchal cross on steps set between them. The cross is elaborately decorated with fleurons and pellets at the terminals, dominating the central field. A circular legend in Greek runs along the inner border within a beaded outer rim, invoking divine victory for the two rulers. The hammered flan is slightly irregular in outline, characteristic of late tenth-century Byzantine minting practice. The composition conveys the joint imperial authority of the Macedonian dynasty in a hieratic, symmetrical arrangement. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ЄҺ TOVTω ҺICAT` ЬASILЄI C CωҺST` (Translation: In this sign may Basil and Constantine conquer) |
| Reverse description | The reverse is entirely epigraphic, displaying five lines of bold Greek majuscule lettering across the flat field, framed by a double linear inner border and a beaded outer rim. The inscription identifies the two emperors by name and titles, proclaiming them Porphyrogeniti and faithful Basileis of the Romans. A cross potent precedes the first line of text, and small decorative pellet motifs appear above and below the inscription block. The die-engraved lettering is deeply struck and legible, with characteristic Byzantine letter forms including lunate sigma and angular omega. Flan damage is visible at the upper right edge, consistent with the coin's hammered production and extended circulation. |
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