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Showcase Auction 61288 18 Sep 2022
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Heraclius (AD 610-641), with Heraclius Constantine. AV solidus (22mm, 4.50 gm, 7h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 3/5, edge marks. Constantinople, 10th officina, ca. AD 626-629. dd NN hЄRACLIЧS Єt hЄRA CONSt P P A, facing busts of Heraclius (on left) wearing short beard and mustache, and Heraclius Constantine (on right) beardless, both wearing simple crown and chlamys; cross above between them / VICTORIA-AVϚЧ I, cross potent with base on three steps; CONOB below. Sear 743. Struck on a large flan of full weight. Attractive earthen highlights that bring out the design.
From the Historical Scholar Collection. Ex Edward J. Waddell, Ltd., private sale with old dealer's tag
This coin was struck at the zenith of Heraclius' success. After spending the first twelve years of his reign mired in defeat and territorial losses in the climactic life-or-death struggle with Persia, Heraclius finally went on the offensive in AD 622. He invaded Armenia via the northern Pontic corridor, leaving his capital virtually undefended. The Persians mounted the first great siege of Constantinople in AD 626, aided by their Avar allies on the European side of the Bosphorus. Yet, the inspiring leadership of the Patriarch Sergius rallied the city's population to defend the city. It was a desperate time that forced the Byzantines to draw on their faith; every day during the siege, a procession marched around the walls with an icon of the Virgin while singing a hymn written in her honor. The Byzantines also drew on the resources of their faith in a more literal sense - the dire plight of the empire during this existential war compelled Sergius to bend to Heraclius' request that some of the sacred relics of the Church be melted down into coins. One contemporary chronicle recorded, "in this year [AD 622], on April 4, in the tenth year of the indiction, immediately after Heraclius had celebrated the festival of Easter, on Monday evening, he moved against the Persian power. He seized the possessions of the blessed houses (churches) in loan, and, impelled by his lack of resources, he even took many candles (gold and silver candle sticks) and other serviceable implements of the Great Church itself, and struck gold coins and very many miliaresia (silver coins)." It is quite possible that this solidus here was minted with gold taken from the churches of Constantinople to finance the Persian war.
Immediately after the Persian siege was repelled, the tide of the war changed dramatically. Persia was tired of a twenty-four year war of conquest, and Heraclius took advantage of the lack of morale among the Persian armies. He struck directly into the Persian heartland in AD 627, burning an important Zoroastrian fire temple as retribution for the Sassanids' burning of churches. He defeated the Persians in the decisive battle near the ancient Assyrian capital of Nineveh several months later. The Sassanids concluded a humiliating peace a year later, bringing the 26-year war to an end. Heraclius restored all lands lost during the conflict to the empire, in addition to the True Cross which had been looted by the Persians when they sacked Jerusalem in AD 614.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-heraclius-ad-610-641-with-heraclius-constantine-av-solidus-22mm-450-gm-7h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-3-5-/a/61288-95301.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61288-09182022
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Heraclius (AD 610-641), with Heraclius Constantine. AV solidus (22mm, 4.50 gm, 7h). NGC Choice AU 5/5 - 3/5, edge marks. Constantinople, 10th officina, ca. AD 626-629. dd NN hЄRACLIЧS Єt hЄRA CONSt P P A, facing busts of Heraclius (on left) wearing short beard and mustache, and Heraclius Constantine (on right) beardless, both wearing simple crown and chlamys; cross above between them / VICTORIA-AVϚЧ I, cross potent with base on three steps; CONOB below. Sear 743. Struck on a large flan of full weight. Attractive earthen highlights that bring out the design.
From the Historical Scholar Collection. Ex Edward J. Waddell, Ltd., private sale with old dealer's tag
This coin was struck at the zenith of Heraclius' success. After spending the first twelve years of his reign mired in defeat and territorial losses in the climactic life-or-death struggle with Persia, Heraclius finally went on the offensive in AD 622. He invaded Armenia via the northern Pontic corridor, leaving his capital virtually undefended. The Persians mounted the first great siege of Constantinople in AD 626, aided by their Avar allies on the European side of the Bosphorus. Yet, the inspiring leadership of the Patriarch Sergius rallied the city's population to defend the city. It was a desperate time that forced the Byzantines to draw on their faith; every day during the siege, a procession marched around the walls with an icon of the Virgin while singing a hymn written in her honor. The Byzantines also drew on the resources of their faith in a more literal sense - the dire plight of the empire during this existential war compelled Sergius to bend to Heraclius' request that some of the sacred relics of the Church be melted down into coins. One contemporary chronicle recorded, "in this year [AD 622], on April 4, in the tenth year of the indiction, immediately after Heraclius had celebrated the festival of Easter, on Monday evening, he moved against the Persian power. He seized the possessions of the blessed houses (churches) in loan, and, impelled by his lack of resources, he even took many candles (gold and silver candle sticks) and other serviceable implements of the Great Church itself, and struck gold coins and very many miliaresia (silver coins)." It is quite possible that this solidus here was minted with gold taken from the churches of Constantinople to finance the Persian war.
Immediately after the Persian siege was repelled, the tide of the war changed dramatically. Persia was tired of a twenty-four year war of conquest, and Heraclius took advantage of the lack of morale among the Persian armies. He struck directly into the Persian heartland in AD 627, burning an important Zoroastrian fire temple as retribution for the Sassanids' burning of churches. He defeated the Persians in the decisive battle near the ancient Assyrian capital of Nineveh several months later. The Sassanids concluded a humiliating peace a year later, bringing the 26-year war to an end. Heraclius restored all lands lost during the conflict to the empire, in addition to the True Cross which had been looted by the Persians when they sacked Jerusalem in AD 614.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/byzantine/ancients-heraclius-ad-610-641-with-heraclius-constantine-av-solidus-22mm-450-gm-7h-ngc-choice-au-5-5-3-5-/a/61288-95301.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-61288-09182022
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved