Ancient Byzantine - AV Tremissis (Solidus Nomisma) - Maurice Tiberius - Circa 582-602 AD

Denomination: AR Tremissis                                                                                          

Date: Circa 582-602

Mint: Constantinople                                         

Weight: 1.48 gm - 22 carat gold

Mount: 18K Gold

Description: Mauricius Tiberius. AV Tremissis (Solidus Nomisma). Obverse: Cuirassed bust of Maurice Tiberius right with name/title flanking left and right. Lettering: DN TiBE RI PP AVG. Translation: Dominus Noster (Our Lord) Tiberius.  Reverse: Cross Potent with legend surrounding and mint at bottom. Lettering: VICTORI mAVRI AVS – CONOB. Translation: Victory is reference to the former general’s battles. CONOB is Constantinople mint and perhaps reference to officina B. Rex Imperator (Emperor King) PATER PATRIAE (father of our country) AVGustus (Ruler)

History: At the time of the birth of Mauritius Tiberius (known as Maurice to us), the later Roman Empire was undergoing the far-reaching advances of Justinian's reign. Born in Roman territory in Cappadocia (In modern-day Turkey), little is known of his childhood years. Joining the Byzantine military, he rose high in rank as an officer until he was so prominent as to be appointed the Emperor Tiberius II Constantine's successor In 481 AD. Maurice married Tiberius' daughter, Constantia, to set Maurice's succession in stone Very soon after, in the year 582 AD, Maurice's father-in-law died, and Maurice became Emperor. Mauritius Tiberius was a capable and efficient ruler; if he appeared to be acting in a spend-thrift way, it was only because the Byzantines simply didn't have the money to spend. He worked hard to delay or even stop the crumbling of Justinian's Empire and attempted to pilot the Empire through one of its worst stages of instability. His military experience and wisdom was quite extensive; as is shown in a military handbook he authored called Strategi Kon, which is feted as the first and only advanced combined arms theory written until World War II. An advocate of literature and learning, he is also considered a Saint in the Orthodox Church. What he could have achieved had his Danube army not mutinied against him will never be known.

ID15004