Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 105 10 May 2017
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Irene. 797-802. AV Solidus (19mm, 4..42 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. ЄIRIҺH ЬASILISSH, crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger in right hand and cruciform scepter with left / ЄIR[IҺ]H ЬASILISSH, crowned facing bust of Irene, wearing loros, holding globus cruciger in right hand and cruciform scepter with left; • at beginning of legend, Θ at end. DOC 1b; Füeg 1.A.2; SB 1599. VF, weakly struck in areas.
The powerful personality of Irene had always overshadowed that of her son Constantine, and only an army mutiny had prevented her from taking power in 790. After a short period in exile, she returned to Constantinople, and began plans to eliminate her enemies. As the coinage shows, she quickly relegated her son to second place. By 797, she had discredited Constantine to the point that she could have him deposed, blinded, and murdered with little outcry. A conspiracy of the patricians led to her being deposed in 802. She was exiled to Lesbos, where she died the following year.
The powerful personality of Irene had always overshadowed that of her son Constantine, and only an army mutiny had prevented her from taking power in 790. After a short period in exile, she returned to Constantinople, and began plans to eliminate her enemies. As the coinage shows, she quickly relegated her son to second place. By 797, she had discredited Constantine to the point that she could have him deposed, blinded, and murdered with little outcry. A conspiracy of the patricians led to her being deposed in 802. She was exiled to Lesbos, where she died the following year.