Watch List notes:

Basil II, Bulgaroktonos & Constantine VIII 976-1025, AV histamenon nomisma (4,38 g). Bust of Christ facing wearing nimbus with cross, pallium and colobium/Facing busts of Basil with short beard (on left) and Constantine beardless (on right) holding between them long patriarchal cross Ex. G.& N. no.18 lot 1046. . Bulgaroktonos means "Bulgar slayer", a name well deserved. Having stopped a large Bulgarian army at the battle of Kleidios, he sent many Thousand prisoners walking home. A noble act? Not at all. For every 100 man, he blinded 99 and let the final one-eyed man guide the kohort home. The Bulgar king Samuel who had had great ambitions for his country in the Balkans was so devastated to see this blinded and wretched army, that he suffered a stroke and died. Bulgaria was soon after incorporated into the Byzantine state. Grade:1+/01