★ Mezezios Usurper in Sicily. ★

Mezezios (Usurper in Sicily, 668-669).
Solidus. Syracuse, 668-early 669. J h MЄZЄ T I VS P PAVЧ. Obv: Bust facing, with long beard and long moustache, wearing plumed helmet and cuirass, holding globus cruciger.
Rev: VICTORIA AVGЧ Є. Cross potent on three steps; in exergue, CONOB.

Extremely Rare.

Condition: Very fine.
Weight: 5.54 g.
Diameter: 19 mm.
DOC Constantine IV, Balkan mint, (71); BMC Constantine IV, Carthage, 54; MIB Constantine IV, Constantinople, 9; Spahr-; Sear 1146.

Mezezios (Usurper, 668-669). An Armenian noble, likely of the House of Gnuni, Mezezios accompanied Constans II on his Western exodus to Italy. After Constans was assassinated July 15, 668 in Syracuse, Mezezios was acclaimed emperor by the army in Sicily. His tenure was brief. According to the 8th Century historian and saint Theophanes the Confessor, Constantine IV brought a fleet to Sicily, where he captured and executed the usurper. Some scholars, though, believe that troops from Italy, sent by the exarch of Ravenna who had remained loyal to the Heraclian House, and Africa stamped down the rebellion and sent the head of Mezezios to Constantinople.
Ex Sotheby's, September 1988, lot 1024; Vecchi-Bonham 3, 1980, 191.