ROMANUS III ARGYRUS (1028-1034). GOLD Histamenon Nomisma. Constantinople.

Obv: + IҺS XIS RЄX RЄGNANTIҺM.
Christ Pantokrator seated facing on throne.
Rev: ΘCЄ ЬOHΘ RωMAҺω.
Romanus standing facing, holding globus cruciger and being crowned by the Virgin Mary standing to right.

Sear 1819.

On the death of Constantine VIII in 1068, the eparch of Constantinople, Romanus Argyros became emperor, who enjoyed a strong influence in the city, also due to his noble birth. Romanus III is remembered above all for his vanity, which led him to be inspired by the great emperors of the past, such as Augustus or Marcus Aurelius, whom he wished to imitate in their deeds. In foreign policy, he succeeded in defending the empire against external enemies thanks to generals such as George Maniakes, who, by taking Edessa in 1032, inflicted a heavy blow on the Seljuk Turks. In terms of agrarian affairs, he decided to invalidate the edicts issued by Roman I Lecapenus and Basil II in favour of the poor and small landowners, preferring to favour the nobility of which he was a member, but causing great damage to the tax system and thus ending up harming the aristocracy itself. Romanus, 60 years old at the time of his coronation, had married the 50-year-old Zoe, daughter of Basil II. Perhaps because of her age, several attempts to secure an heir failed, so Zoe became the lover of Michael, the young brother of the court eunuch, John the Orphanotrophos. It seems that the emperor himself learned of the betrayal, which especially upset his sister Pulcheria, who was very hostile towards Zoe. Romanus however died in 1034, possibly drowned during the ritual bath before Easter Day, and Zoe immediately married her lover, who became emperor under the name Michael IV.

Condition: Very fine.

Weight: 4.40 g.
Diameter: 25 mm.