| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Herakles Auction 1 | Auction date: 14 October 2024 |
| Lot number: 95 Price realized: 1,900 EUR (Approx. 2,079 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Basiliscus AD 475-476. Late autumn AD 475-August AD 476. Constantinople, 9th officina Solidus AV 21 mm, 4,47 g D N bASILISCI Et MARC P AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing, head slightly right, spear in right hand over shoulder, shield decorated with horseman motif in left / VICTORIA AVGGG Θ, Victory standing facing, head left, long jeweled cross with diagonal crossbar in right hand; star in right field, CONOB in exergue. Hints of double striking, otherwise, lustrous and extremely fine Depeyrot 105/2; RIC X 1024. Basiliscus, who ruled as Eastern Roman Emperor from AD 475 to 476, had a brief and turbulent reign characterized by political instability, military failure, and religious controversy. He came to power after leading a successful coup against Emperor Zeno, his predecessor and eventual successor. Basiliscus was the brother of Empress Verina, the widow of Emperor Leo I, which gave him significant influence in the imperial court. In January AD 475, with the support of Verina and factions within Constantinople that opposed Zeno's Isaurian background, Basiliscus managed to drive Zeno from the throne. Zeno fled to Isauria, allowing Basiliscus to take control of the Eastern Roman Empire. Upon ascending to the throne, Basiliscus quickly sought to secure his power by issuing coins and presenting himself as the legitimate emperor. However, Basiliscus' reign was plagued by multiple problems. His most significant misstep was his involvement in the theological disputes of the time, particularly regarding the Monophysite controversy. In an attempt to win support from Monophysites, who believed in the single divine nature of Christ, Basiliscus issued a circular letter (the Enkyklikon) that rejected the Council of Chalcedon's definition of Christ's dual nature (both divine and human). This move alienated the powerful Orthodox Christian community, especially in Constantinople, and led to widespread opposition, including from the influential Patriarch of Constantinople, Acacius. In addition to religious unrest, Basiliscus also faced military failures. His inability to manage the empire's external threats, particularly the growing power of the Ostrogoths and the Vandals, further weakened his standing. His most notorious failure was a disastrous military expedition against the Vandals, a campaign that had been planned earlier but ended in a complete debacle, further eroding his support among the military and the public. By August AD 476, Zeno had gathered enough support, particularly from Isaurian loyalists and those dissatisfied with Basiliscus' rule, to reclaim the throne. Zeno returned to Constantinople, and Basiliscus was betrayed by his own supporters. Basiliscus and his family were captured, exiled to Cappadocia, and eventually executed by being left to die of starvation. Basiliscus' brief and chaotic rule is often seen as a failed usurpation during a time of deep instability in the Eastern Roman Empire. His downfall marked the return of Zeno to power and the continuation of a more stable government in the East, just as the Western Roman Empire was coming to an end with the fall of Romulus Augustulus in AD 476. Starting price: 750 EUR |  |
