Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XXI 24-25 Mar 2021
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Zoë and Theodora AV Histamenon Nomisma. Constantinople, April-June AD 1042. ✠ ΘKЄ RΘ TAC BACIΛICCIC, half-length bust of the Virgin facing, orans, nimbate and wearing pallium with maphorium; bust of infant Christ with cruciform nimbus before her, MP-ΘV across fields / ✠ ZƜHN S ΘEOΔƜP, facing busts of Zoë (left) and Theodora (right), each wearing divitision and maniakion and crown with pinnacles and pendilia, holding between them a labarum. DOC 1 (same obv. die); Goodacre, Addenda p. 5; BN p. 631 (this coin); Sear 1827. 4.43g, 27mm, 6h.
Near Mint State. Previously NGC graded (photo-certificate) Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Extremely Rare; one of the key rarities of the Byzantine series, struck on a massive planchet and one of the very finest known surviving specimens.
This coin cited in C. Morrisson, Catalogue des Monnaies Byzantines de la Bibliothèque Nationale (Paris, 1970);
From the Ennismore Collection;
Ex Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection, Heritage World Coin Auctions, Long Beach Signature Sale 3035, 3 September 2014, lot 29646;
Ex "Important Private Collection of Byzantine Coins", Sotheby's, 2 November 1998, lot 517;
Ex William Herbert Hunt Collection, Sotheby's New York, 5 December 1990, lot 765;
Ex Bank Leu AG, Auction 15, 4 May 1976, lot 521;
Ex Adolph Hess AG - Bank Leu AG, Auction 24, 16 April 1964, lot 453;
Ex Adolph Hess AG - Bank Leu AG, Auction 9, 2 April 1958, lot 440.
By April 1042 the grand 'Macedonian' dynasty which had ruled in prosperity for almost two centuries was crumbling. The last great Emperor of this dynasty, Basil II, had passed away in 1025, leaving no children; his brother and nominal co-Emperor, the useless Constantine VIII, died soon after; he left three daughters, of whom two had spent most of their lives in relative obscurity in nunneries or the imperial gynaeceum (the Palace women's quarters), while the third, Zoë, had wielded power as Empress since her father's death, but had used this power to follow her own desires. In doing so she set the history of her line down a path of intrigue, hatred and lust, on which one of the most fascinating stopping points was the unprecedented reign of two Empresses - Zoë and her younger sister Theodora, elderly, hateful of each other and of conflicting personalities, but forced into joint power by the people, who had great affection for the dynasty of which they were the last remnants. In the seven and a half weeks of their rule, the Mint of Constantinople issued one type of coin - the nomisma, given precedence due to its prestige. This type, which stands out as one of the most sought-after rarities of Byzantine coinage, is the only numismatic record of this unusual period of Byzantine history, and of great iconographic and theological interest.
By 1033, Zoë's marriage to Romanos III, hastily arranged by her father to secure the succession after Theodora had refused to marry him, was falling apart. At this time, one of Romanos' chief courtiers, John the Eunuch, the son of a peasant, arranged for his brother Michael to join the court, and Zoë became infatuated with his exceptional beauty. They began an affair which led to the assassination of Romanos in his bath on their orders in 1034, and Michael was crowned Michael IV on the very same day, following a quick marriage. However, he suffered from epilepsy and oedema, and his reign lasted only until his death on the 10th December 1041, shortly after which his nephew was crowned as Michael V, with Zoë's (most likely forced) approval. His reign turned out to be short, for soon after his accession his disgraceful conduct to Zoë, a member of the well-liked Macedonian dynasty, caused a popular rebellion in Constantinople, and the joint rule of both Zoë and her sister Theodora was demanded. To achieve this, Zoë was returned to the city from her exile in a monastery, and a delegation was sent to the convent of Petrion to retrieve Theodora. She was unwilling to leave the convent and the life she was living, but after seeking refuge in the chapel was removed by force to Constantinople, where she was proclaimed Empress with Zoë in the Hagia Sophia. The palace was assaulted, and Michael V was overthrown. Thus began the unprecedented rule of two Empresses, breaking with the traditional Byzantine custom of secluding female members of the imperial family in the gynaeceum.
Theodora's relocation from the convent would have been most unwelcome to Zoë, for it was she who had driven her there in the first place. Zoe, in her enmity to Theodora, had accused her of conspiring to usurp the throne with two different men in 1030 and 1031, and she was removed to the convent in Petrion, where, during a later visit from Zoë, she was made to take Holy Orders. Their continuing hatred and suspicion of each other characterised their joint rule. While the epicurean Zoë had no real interest in imperial administration - in comparison to the earnest Theodora, who seems to have applied herself with energy and force to the role - she was jealous of her sister's capacity for and growing influence in the position, and would not allow her to engage in official activities without her. The ill-feeling between the two increased with the development of factions supporting either woman, and ultimately Zoë put an end to her sister's influence by taking a new husband - an old lover, Constantine Monomachos, crowned Constantine IX, onto whom the overarching power fell, taking it from the hands of Theodora and allying it more closely to his wife, Zoë, who was relegated down the hierarchy less far than her sister.
Representations of the Virgin on Byzantine coinage became normalised some time after those of Christ, starting with a solidus of Leo VI (DOC 1) and proliferating from the 1030s under Romanos III. This was part of the wider expansion of the cult of the Virgin in the early 11th Century, which Grierson argues was most likely influenced "[s]o far as court and coinage were concerned ... by the gradual abandonment of the Great Palace as the main imperial residence" in favour of the Palace at Blachernae - a suburb of Constantinople notable for its connections to Mary, in particular its Church of St Mary of Blachernae - which "brought the emperor into close contact with the main cult of the Virgin in the city" (DOC 3.1 p.169). Indeed, as Grierson argues further, the image of the Virgin on the present coin appears to be essentially a copy of a great icon in this very church: an icon called 'The Visit' (Episkepsis), existing at Blachernae as early as the 10th Century and comprising a representation of the Virgin with a medallion of Christ on her breast "intended to be understood symbolically as typifying the Incarnation, with Christ in the Virgin's womb" (DOC 3.1 pp. 172-173). This icon does not survive, however, and the earliest dated example of its type appears to be the present histamenon of Zoe and Theodora - another argument for its historical importance. It can be argued, moreover, that the image of the Virgin takes on new significance in the unprecedented age of two ruling Empresses, perhaps attesting perhaps to a greater magnitude afforded to the role of women during this period: this histamenon bucks the established trend which saw the image of Christ as more suitable for the valuable gold coinage while images of the Virgin in her own right were typically consigned to silver and copper coins (DOC 3.1 pp. 170-171).
Near Mint State. Previously NGC graded (photo-certificate) Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Extremely Rare; one of the key rarities of the Byzantine series, struck on a massive planchet and one of the very finest known surviving specimens.
This coin cited in C. Morrisson, Catalogue des Monnaies Byzantines de la Bibliothèque Nationale (Paris, 1970);
From the Ennismore Collection;
Ex Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection, Heritage World Coin Auctions, Long Beach Signature Sale 3035, 3 September 2014, lot 29646;
Ex "Important Private Collection of Byzantine Coins", Sotheby's, 2 November 1998, lot 517;
Ex William Herbert Hunt Collection, Sotheby's New York, 5 December 1990, lot 765;
Ex Bank Leu AG, Auction 15, 4 May 1976, lot 521;
Ex Adolph Hess AG - Bank Leu AG, Auction 24, 16 April 1964, lot 453;
Ex Adolph Hess AG - Bank Leu AG, Auction 9, 2 April 1958, lot 440.
By April 1042 the grand 'Macedonian' dynasty which had ruled in prosperity for almost two centuries was crumbling. The last great Emperor of this dynasty, Basil II, had passed away in 1025, leaving no children; his brother and nominal co-Emperor, the useless Constantine VIII, died soon after; he left three daughters, of whom two had spent most of their lives in relative obscurity in nunneries or the imperial gynaeceum (the Palace women's quarters), while the third, Zoë, had wielded power as Empress since her father's death, but had used this power to follow her own desires. In doing so she set the history of her line down a path of intrigue, hatred and lust, on which one of the most fascinating stopping points was the unprecedented reign of two Empresses - Zoë and her younger sister Theodora, elderly, hateful of each other and of conflicting personalities, but forced into joint power by the people, who had great affection for the dynasty of which they were the last remnants. In the seven and a half weeks of their rule, the Mint of Constantinople issued one type of coin - the nomisma, given precedence due to its prestige. This type, which stands out as one of the most sought-after rarities of Byzantine coinage, is the only numismatic record of this unusual period of Byzantine history, and of great iconographic and theological interest.
By 1033, Zoë's marriage to Romanos III, hastily arranged by her father to secure the succession after Theodora had refused to marry him, was falling apart. At this time, one of Romanos' chief courtiers, John the Eunuch, the son of a peasant, arranged for his brother Michael to join the court, and Zoë became infatuated with his exceptional beauty. They began an affair which led to the assassination of Romanos in his bath on their orders in 1034, and Michael was crowned Michael IV on the very same day, following a quick marriage. However, he suffered from epilepsy and oedema, and his reign lasted only until his death on the 10th December 1041, shortly after which his nephew was crowned as Michael V, with Zoë's (most likely forced) approval. His reign turned out to be short, for soon after his accession his disgraceful conduct to Zoë, a member of the well-liked Macedonian dynasty, caused a popular rebellion in Constantinople, and the joint rule of both Zoë and her sister Theodora was demanded. To achieve this, Zoë was returned to the city from her exile in a monastery, and a delegation was sent to the convent of Petrion to retrieve Theodora. She was unwilling to leave the convent and the life she was living, but after seeking refuge in the chapel was removed by force to Constantinople, where she was proclaimed Empress with Zoë in the Hagia Sophia. The palace was assaulted, and Michael V was overthrown. Thus began the unprecedented rule of two Empresses, breaking with the traditional Byzantine custom of secluding female members of the imperial family in the gynaeceum.
Theodora's relocation from the convent would have been most unwelcome to Zoë, for it was she who had driven her there in the first place. Zoe, in her enmity to Theodora, had accused her of conspiring to usurp the throne with two different men in 1030 and 1031, and she was removed to the convent in Petrion, where, during a later visit from Zoë, she was made to take Holy Orders. Their continuing hatred and suspicion of each other characterised their joint rule. While the epicurean Zoë had no real interest in imperial administration - in comparison to the earnest Theodora, who seems to have applied herself with energy and force to the role - she was jealous of her sister's capacity for and growing influence in the position, and would not allow her to engage in official activities without her. The ill-feeling between the two increased with the development of factions supporting either woman, and ultimately Zoë put an end to her sister's influence by taking a new husband - an old lover, Constantine Monomachos, crowned Constantine IX, onto whom the overarching power fell, taking it from the hands of Theodora and allying it more closely to his wife, Zoë, who was relegated down the hierarchy less far than her sister.
Representations of the Virgin on Byzantine coinage became normalised some time after those of Christ, starting with a solidus of Leo VI (DOC 1) and proliferating from the 1030s under Romanos III. This was part of the wider expansion of the cult of the Virgin in the early 11th Century, which Grierson argues was most likely influenced "[s]o far as court and coinage were concerned ... by the gradual abandonment of the Great Palace as the main imperial residence" in favour of the Palace at Blachernae - a suburb of Constantinople notable for its connections to Mary, in particular its Church of St Mary of Blachernae - which "brought the emperor into close contact with the main cult of the Virgin in the city" (DOC 3.1 p.169). Indeed, as Grierson argues further, the image of the Virgin on the present coin appears to be essentially a copy of a great icon in this very church: an icon called 'The Visit' (Episkepsis), existing at Blachernae as early as the 10th Century and comprising a representation of the Virgin with a medallion of Christ on her breast "intended to be understood symbolically as typifying the Incarnation, with Christ in the Virgin's womb" (DOC 3.1 pp. 172-173). This icon does not survive, however, and the earliest dated example of its type appears to be the present histamenon of Zoe and Theodora - another argument for its historical importance. It can be argued, moreover, that the image of the Virgin takes on new significance in the unprecedented age of two ruling Empresses, perhaps attesting perhaps to a greater magnitude afforded to the role of women during this period: this histamenon bucks the established trend which saw the image of Christ as more suitable for the valuable gold coinage while images of the Virgin in her own right were typically consigned to silver and copper coins (DOC 3.1 pp. 170-171).