Preview
Creation Date
1195–1197
Geography
Constantinople (Istanbul, Türkiye)
Culture
Byzantine
Medium
Electrum
Dimensions
26 mm
(0.122 oz) 3.45 g
Credit Line
Gift of Brad Hostetler, 2022
Accession Number
2022.58
Condition
As of 9/2/2024: Significant wear from contact or cleaning on the right side of both obverse and reverse. Faces obscure on both sides. Obverse has significant wear at the central point of concavity. Inscriptions and some details of costume on the reverse are legible.
References
Hendy, Michael F. 1999. Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, vol. 4, Alexius I to Alexius V, 1081–1204. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, no. 3(d,e,f,g,i?), p. 380-387
Description
This coin is concave. The obverse of this aspron trachy depicts a full-length figure of Christ, bearded, and wearing a halo (nimbate). The halo contains a nimbus cross, with small circular pellets in each limb. He is seated on a backless throne. Christ wears a tunic and kolobion, or especially decorated, short-sleeved tunic worn for ecclesiastical ceremonies. In his left hand, Christ holds a copy of the Gospels. Flanking Christ on either side is an identificatory inscription containing a shortened version of his name in Greek.
The reverse of this coin depicts two full length figures standing side by side: St. Constantine is on the right, wearing a halo (nimbate), and Emperor Alexius III Komnenos is on the left. The two figures hold between them a labarum, or a flag displaying military insignia, which surmounts a triangular decoration upon a long shaft. The emperor and saint wear the same costume, which includes the stemma (the colorful, jeweled crown demonstrating imperial status). The crown of the current emperor included pendilia, or gemmed pendants that hang on both sides of the emperor’s head. Both are dressed in a jeweled (as opposed to paneled) loros, a garment typically worn for major imperial ceremonies. In this instance, it appears in the simplified numismatic type, meaning it consists of a band that drapes over the shoulders and down the back of the emperor, rather than a garment that wraps around the figure’s entire body. Under the loros the figures wear in a divitision, or long tunic. Around the neck of both figures is a separate gemmed collar-piece. Both figures hold a scepter cruciger, or staff topped by a golden, jewel-encrusted cross; the saint holds this in his left hand while the emperor holds it in his right.
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