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ANA Signature Sale 3094 19-20 Aug 2021
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Leo II and Zeno, Eastern Roman Empire (18 January-17 November AD 474). AV solidus (20mm, 4.49 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople, February-November AD 474, 7th officina. D N LEO Et Z-ENO PP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust (of Zeno?) facing, head slightly right, spear in right hand over shoulder, shield in left decorated with horseman motif / SALVS REI-PVBLICAE Z, Leo II (on left) and Zeno (on right) seated facing on double throne, both nimbate, diademed and wearing imperial mantle, mappa in right hands; star above cross above, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 803. Depeyrot 98/1. Well struck on bright, lustrous flan.
Ex Sincona, Auction 37 (16 May 2017), lot 52; purchased privately from Spink (London, May 1975)
During his long, tumultuous reign, Leo I "The Great" relied on a Romanized Isaurian chieftain, Zeno, to do much of the reign's heavy lifting and dirty work. To cement the relationship, he married his daughter Ariadne to Zeno; about AD 467 she bore him a son who was named Leo after his grandfather. When Leo I died on 18 January AD 474, the child ascended to the Eastern Roman Throne as Leo II, but it soon became clear he needed a protector and the Byzantine Senate named his father Zeno as co-Augustus on February 9. The child fell ill toward the end of the year and died in November, leaving the unpopular Zeno as sole ruler. Rumors flourished that Zeno had poisoned his own son, but this seems as unlikely as it was unnecessary.
The very rare gold coinage of the brief joint reign depicts an armored figure on the obverse, presumably Zeno, while the reverse depicts the two rulers seated in a double throne. Interestingly, the smaller of the two figures, Leo II, is seated to the left, in the "senior" position.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-leo-ii-and-zeno-eastern-roman-empire-18-january-17-november-ad-474-av-solidus-20mm-449-gm-6h-ngc-c/a/3094-34269.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 7000-9000 USD
Leo II and Zeno, Eastern Roman Empire (18 January-17 November AD 474). AV solidus (20mm, 4.49 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 4/5. Constantinople, February-November AD 474, 7th officina. D N LEO Et Z-ENO PP AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust (of Zeno?) facing, head slightly right, spear in right hand over shoulder, shield in left decorated with horseman motif / SALVS REI-PVBLICAE Z, Leo II (on left) and Zeno (on right) seated facing on double throne, both nimbate, diademed and wearing imperial mantle, mappa in right hands; star above cross above, CONOB in exergue. RIC X 803. Depeyrot 98/1. Well struck on bright, lustrous flan.
Ex Sincona, Auction 37 (16 May 2017), lot 52; purchased privately from Spink (London, May 1975)
During his long, tumultuous reign, Leo I "The Great" relied on a Romanized Isaurian chieftain, Zeno, to do much of the reign's heavy lifting and dirty work. To cement the relationship, he married his daughter Ariadne to Zeno; about AD 467 she bore him a son who was named Leo after his grandfather. When Leo I died on 18 January AD 474, the child ascended to the Eastern Roman Throne as Leo II, but it soon became clear he needed a protector and the Byzantine Senate named his father Zeno as co-Augustus on February 9. The child fell ill toward the end of the year and died in November, leaving the unpopular Zeno as sole ruler. Rumors flourished that Zeno had poisoned his own son, but this seems as unlikely as it was unnecessary.
The very rare gold coinage of the brief joint reign depicts an armored figure on the obverse, presumably Zeno, while the reverse depicts the two rulers seated in a double throne. Interestingly, the smaller of the two figures, Leo II, is seated to the left, in the "senior" position.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/roman-imperial/ancients-leo-ii-and-zeno-eastern-roman-empire-18-january-17-november-ad-474-av-solidus-20mm-449-gm-6h-ngc-c/a/3094-34269.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 7000-9000 USD