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Semissis - Theophilos Syracuse, Θεοφιλος on both sides
| Issuer | Byzantine Empire (Byzantine states) |
|---|---|
| Year | 830-833 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.75 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Frontal facing crowned and bearded bust of Emperor Theophilos, wearing the chlamys, in the characteristic schematic style of the Syracuse mint. The emperor holds a cross potent before him, with the crown surmounted by a cross and pendilia at the sides. The legend ΘΕΟΦΙΛΟC is distributed around the bust in the field, with a cross to the lower left. A globus or crescent device appears at the base of the bust, consistent with Syracuse semissis types. The overall execution reflects the provincial engraving tradition of the Sicilian workshop. |
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| Mintage | ND (830-831) - DOC 26a, Full Bust - ND (830-831) - DOC 26b, Emaciated Bust - ND (831-832) - DOC 26c (BCV 1674) - ND (832-833) - BN 5. DO 22 - `Baby` Face - ND (832-833) - DOC 19, Star w/bust - |
| Additional information |
Syracuse was the last major Byzantine mint still operating in Sicily during Theophilos's reign, producing a reduced gold coinage as Arab pressure on the island intensified. The semissis struck there in the early 830s predates the fall of Palermo to the Aghlabids in 831 — an event that effectively began the permanent dismemberment of Byzantine Sicily. Whether these pieces circulated freely or were hoarded against the deteriorating military situation is an open question, but the Syracuse mint would survive only another few decades before the island was lost entirely.