MAURICE TIBERIUS with CONSTANTIA and THEODOSIUS.(582-602).Cherson.Pentanummia.

Obv : d N maVRIC PP AG.
Maurice, holding globus cruciger, and Constantia, holding cruciform sceptre, standing facing.

Rev : Δ.
Theodosius standing facing, holding staff terminating in staurogram.
Sear 611.

Condition : Bright green patina with shiny appearance.Good very fine.

Material : Copper.
Axis : 6h

Weight : 6.42 gr
Diameter : 24 mm

Cherson, also known as Chersonesus or Korsun in Slavic sources, was a significant Byzantine city located on the Crimean Peninsula, near modern-day Sevastopol in Ukraine. Founded by Greek settlers from Heraclea Pontica in the 6th century BCE, the city played a key role in the Black Sea region for centuries due to its strategic location and its importance as a trade and military outpost during the Byzantine era.

Byzantine Cherson became an essential frontier city of the empire, serving as both a commercial hub and a military stronghold. The city was vital in securing Byzantine influence in the northern Black Sea, providing a buffer against nomadic tribes such as the Huns, Khazars, and Pechenegs. Cherson also acted as a center for diplomatic missions, particularly with the peoples and states of the steppes and with the emerging powers of the Slavs and Rus.

Cherson's importance to the Byzantine Empire grew in the early medieval period, especially during the reign of Emperor Justinian I (527-565 CE). He fortified the city, recognizing its crucial defensive and economic role in maintaining the empire’s interests in the northern Black Sea and the broader region. The city was known for its trade routes, which connected the Byzantine Empire with northern Europe and the steppe lands, facilitating the exchange of goods like grain, fish, slaves, and fur.

One of the most significant events tied to Cherson in Byzantine history occurred in the late 10th century when Grand Prince Vladimir of the Kievan Rus seized the city around 988 CE. According to historical accounts, Vladimir agreed to return Cherson to Byzantine control as part of a political arrangement that included his conversion to Christianity and his marriage to the Byzantine princess Anna, the sister of Emperor Basil II. This event is seen as a turning point in the Christianization of the Kievan Rus and the strengthening of Byzantine influence in the region.

Throughout its Byzantine history, Cherson was a loyal outpost, maintaining its connection to Constantinople and acting as a center for the spread of Orthodox Christianity in the region. It remained a key military base and trading center well into the medieval period, despite the challenges of invasions and the shifting political dynamics of the region.

Cherson's significance declined after the fall of the Byzantine Empire, but its legacy as a vital link between Byzantium, the Black Sea, and the northern steppes continues to be remembered. Today, the ruins of the ancient city, particularly the remnants of its fortifications, churches, and public buildings, provide valuable insights into the Byzantine Empire’s presence in the northern Black Sea and its interactions with the diverse peoples and cultures of the region.