★ Ex Sotheby's 1998 ★

Justinian I AV Solidus. Rome, circa AD 537-542. D N IVSTINIANVS PP AVG, helmeted and cuirassed facing bust, holding globus cruciger and shield decorated with horseman motif / VICTORIA AVGGG A, Angel standing facing, holding long cross and globus cruciger; star to right; CONOB in exergue. DOC 318b; MIBE 29; Sear 289; Berk, Roman 51 (this coin illustrated). 4.40g, 20mm, 6h.

Near Extremely Fine. Very Rare.

This coin Published Berk, Roman 51;
Ex Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 75, 18 November 2013, lot 485;
Ex William J. Conte Collection, Sotheby's New York, "An Important Private Collection of Byzantine Coins," 2 November 1998, lot 83.

Desirous of re-establishing the full extent of the Roman Empire, the Emperor Justinian appointed Belisarius to begin the reconquering of those areas under the control of the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. Belisarius, despite having extremely limited forces and means at his disposal, successfully retook North Africa, Sicily and Naples for the Empire. As Belisarius then marched north towards Rome, the Ostrogoths left the city, having understood that the citizens of the city decisively supported Belisarius. The celebrations following Belisarius' historic entry into the ancient capital of the Roman Empire were short-lived; the Ostrogothic army under their king Vitiges soon laid siege to the city defended now by the greatly outnumbered men of Belisarius' expeditionary force. The siege lasted in all for a year and nine days (from 2 March 537 - 12 March 538). The Ostrogoths eventually abandoned the siege in order to defend Ravenna against John, Belisarius' subordinate general who by capturing Ariminum with a detachment of two thousand men posed a grave threat to the Ostrogoth capital which was barely a day's march away.