★ An attractive example ★

Basil II Bulgaroktonos, with Constantine VIII AD 976-1025. Constantinople
Histamenon Nomisma AV

23 mm, 4,33 g

+IҺS XIS RЄX RЄςNANTIҺm, nimbate bust of Christ facing, wearing tunic and pallium, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left; in each upper quarter of nimbus, crescent / +bASIL C COҺSTAҺTI b R, crowned facing half-length busts of Basil II, with short-beard and being crowned by manus Dei, wearing loros on the left, and Constantine VIII, beardless, wearing chlamys on the right, holding between them long cross with pellet on the shaft.

Extremely Fine

DOC 6b; Sear 1800.

Basil II, known as Bulgaroktonos ("Bulgar-Slayer"), was Byzantine emperor from AD 976 to 1025, ruling alongside his younger brother, Constantine VIII. His reign is considered one of the most powerful and successful in Byzantine history, marked by military expansion, internal stability, and the height of imperial strength. After Emperor John I Tzimiskes died in AD 976, Basil II inherited the throne. However, due to his youth and inexperience, real power was initially held by influential generals and court officials. Basil faced serious internal challenges early in his reign, including rebellions led by powerful aristocrats such as Bardas Skleros and Bardas Phokas. Over time, he suppressed these revolts and centralized imperial authority, reducing the influence of the military aristocracy and curbing the power of the noble families. Basil II's most significant achievement was the conquest of the Bulgarian Empire. His campaigns against Bulgaria were long and brutal, culminating in a decisive victory at the Battle of Kleidion in AD 1014. After the battle, he famously blinded most of the captured Bulgarian soldiers, leaving every hundredth man with one eye to lead the others home. This harsh act earned him the title Bulgaroktonos. By AD 1018, he fully annexed Bulgaria into the Byzantine Empire, securing the Balkans and ending the long-standing Bulgarian threat. Basil also expanded Byzantine influence in the Caucasus, subduing parts of Georgia and Armenia, and strengthened the empire's eastern borders. His military campaigns ensured the empire’s dominance over neighboring regions. Additionally, Basil II focused on administrative reforms, reinforcing imperial control over the provinces, improving tax collection, and weakening the aristocracy to prevent internal unrest. His brother, Constantine VIII, was co-emperor throughout Basil’s reign but played no role in governance or military affairs. Constantine lived a largely ceremonial life and became sole emperor after Basil's death in AD 1025. His brief and ineffective rule lasted until his death in AD 1028. Basil II’s coinage emphasized his authority and divine legitimacy. His gold histamena and nomismata typically depicted Christ on the obverse and himself on the reverse, sometimes shown with Constantine VIII. These coins reinforced the image of the emperor as God’s chosen ruler and highlighted the power of the Macedonian dynasty. Basil II's reign marked the peak of Byzantine territorial expansion and financial stability. His death in AD 1025 left the empire strong and secure, though later emperors failed to maintain his firm leadership. Basil II is remembered as one of Byzantium's greatest rulers, embodying military strength, administrative skill, and imperial authority.