Basil I, Leo and Constantine (870-79)
Obverse
Bust of St. Basil blessing and holding a book. Circular inscription. A six rayed star on either side. No visible border.
......ΛΕΙΕΟΗΘΕΙ
Ἅγιε Βασίλειε βοήθει
Reverse
Three figures: in center a half-length representation of the emperor Basil I (bearded) wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a loros. Left, a bust of Leo wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and at right a bust of Constantine (beardless) wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a chlamys. Remains of an inscription. No visible border.
.............OS/A
Leon, Basilios καὶ Constantinos augusti
Obverse
Bust of St. Basil blessing and holding a book. Circular inscription. A six rayed star on either side. No visible border.
......ΛΕΙΕΟΗΘΕΙ
Ἅγιε Βασίλειε βοήθει
Reverse
Three figures: in center a half-length representation of the emperor Basil I (bearded) wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a loros. Left, a bust of Leo wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and at right a bust of Constantine (beardless) wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a chlamys. Remains of an inscription. No visible border.
.............OS/A
Leon, Basilios καὶ Constantinos augusti
| Accession number | BZS.1977.34.96 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 22.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 52.1. |
Translation
Ἅγιε Βασίλειε βοήθει Leon, Basilios καὶ Constantinos augusti.
St. Basil, help Leo, Basil and Constantine, augusti.
Commentary
The images on this specimen do not derive from the dies of a boulloterion. The reverse is concave, indicating that first one side was struck with a punch and then the other. The object may have been used as a grain token.
Between 870 and 970, folles were struck depicting on the obverse Emperor Basil I flanked by his sons Leo and Constantine. Basil is represented half-length, bearded, and wearing a crown with a cross and a loros. Leo (at the l.) and Constantine (at the r.) are shown half-length, but smaller. Each is beardless, and wears a crown surmounted by a cross and a chlamys. The trio are usually identified by a circular inscription reading LEOASILSCOSA: Leon, Basilios, καὶ Constantinos augusti. The aniconic reverse regularly bears an inscription of five lines reading ASIL|COSA|SLEOE|ΘOSILS|ROEO: Basilios, Constantinos, καὶ Leon en Θeo basilis Romeon. See DOC 3.2: 10a.1 (pl. 31); the obverse of this coin is different from this tessera, which contains a portrait of St. Basil.