Description
Basileios I ‘the Macedonian’, Byzantine Emperor and founder of the Macedonian Dynasty 867-886 AD, Gold Solidus (4.41g, 18mm), Dynastic issue with his eldest son Constantine, Constantinople mint 867-886 AD. Obverse: Christ Pantokrator enthroned forward, wearing nimbus crown, pallium and colobium and holding Book of Gospels in left hand and raising right in benediction, legend beginning with cross surrounds, “IhS XPS RЄX RЄςNANTIЧM”. Reverse: Side by side busts of Basil I on the left, bearded and wearing loros, and Constantine on the right, unbearded and wearing chlamys, each crowned and facing forward, holding patriarchal cross between them, legend surrounds, “bASILIOS ЄT COҺSꞆAҺꞆ AЧÇÇ b”. Doc-2c; Sear-1704. Few light marks each side, mostly to reverse, otherwise lightly toned and fairly attractive, details Extremely Fine, reverse near Extremely Fine.
The obverse Latin legend reads “Iēsūs Chrīstus, rēx rēgnantium”, translated in English as “Jesus Christ, King of Ruling”. The reverse legend reads “Basíleios et Cōnstantīnos Augustī”, translated in English as “Basil and Constantine the Augusti”. Basil is inscribed as “Basíleios” with the Latinized form of his name in Ancient Greek, “Βασίλειος”, whilst Constantine is named with a combination of the Ancient Greek “Κωνσταντῖνος”, Latinized as “Kōnstantīnos”, but beginning with the letter “C” similar to the Latin translation “Constantinus”. They are titled as Augustī, the nominative plural of the Latin “Augustus”.
