| Classical Numismatic Group > Auction 130 | Auction date: 23 September 2025 |
| Lot number: 605 Price realized: 16,000 USD (Approx. 13,565 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Michael III "the Drunkard", with Theodora and Thecla. 842-867. AV Solidus (20.5mm, 4.39 g, 7h). Constantinople mint. Struck 842-circa 843. Crowned facing half-length bust of Theodora, wearing loros, holding patriarchal globus cruciger and cruciform scepter / Crowned facing half-length figures of Michael, wearing chlamys and holding globus cruciger, and Thecla, wearing loros, holding patriarchal cross and akakia. DOC 1a.1 var. (rev. legend); Füeg 1.D.4-5/1.D (obv./rev.); SB 1686. Toned, overstruck, light scuff, minor edge mark. Good VF. Very rare. An unlisted obverse/reverse die combination in Füeg. Notably overstruck on a SB 1551 AV Solidus of Constantine V Copronymus, with Leo IV and Leo III with portions of the legends visible. From the Wayne Scheible Collection. Michael III was only two years old when his father Theophilus died in 842. His mother Theodora as regent was the effective ruler of the empire, and the first coinage of his reign gives her prominence on the obverse, relegating Michael to the reverse. Michael was generally kept in the background, and is even overshadowed on the coinage by his sister Thecla such as on this early solidus issue. With Michael in isolation, Theodora maintained the empire with the assistance of her brothers, Bardas and Petronas, along with Theoktistos, the logothete of the dromos. During Theodora's regency, she brought an end to the second iconoclastic controversy and demonstrated herself as an effective and capable ruler. In a typical example of Byzantine family intrigue, Theoktistos moved against Bardas, who in turn conspired with the young emperor in 856 to remove his mother's regency and eliminate Theoktistos. Theoktistos was ultimately killed and Theodora was removed from power and confined to a convent. The conspiracy continued and Bardas was murdered in 865 by Basil, an ambitious court official who befriended Michael and soon became co-emperor. Basil proceeded to promptly eliminate his benefactor shortly thereafter. Although Michael was given the unflattering epithet the "Drunkard," this smear on his name was perpetuated by Basil to justify his seizure of power. Michael appears to have been a conscientious ruler and capable military leader, his only fatal failing being that he was too easily swayed by his unscrupulous associates. Estimate: 7500 USD |  |
