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⅓ Miliaresion - Romanus IV Diogenes
| Issuer | Byzantine Empire (Byzantine states) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1068-1071 |
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| Currency | Second Solidus Nomisma (720-1092) |
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| Obverse description | Facing bust of the Theotokos (Mother of God) depicted nimbate, shown to approximately half-length with both arms raised and hands outstretched in the orans posture. The figure is rendered in the hieratic Byzantine style with stylized drapery folds visible across the chest. The Greek inscription divided into the fields on either side identifies the subject as the Mother of God (MR ΘU). The coin is struck on a thin, irregularly shaped flan typical of the miliaresion denomination. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | M/ΘK-Θ/RΘ |
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| Additional information |
Romanus IV's reign lasted just three years before the catastrophic defeat at Manzikert in 1071, where he was captured by Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan — the first time a sitting Byzantine emperor had been taken prisoner in centuries. The political fallout was swift: Romanus was ransomed, deposed, blinded, and dead within a year. Coinage attributable specifically to his reign is correspondingly scarce, and the fractional silver denominations see far less attention in collections than the more glamorous gold.