An interesting historical Byzantine coin

[the_Thing ®]

Not the prettiest coin, but rare

 

 

Justinian I, A.D 527 - 565

 

In 528 A.D, a great earthquake destroyed the city of Antioch, after which it was renamed Theoupolis. The mention of "ANTIX" at the exergue allows to date the coin before the earthquake to either 527 AD or in the year 528 AD before the earthquake. This is the first time I have seen "ANTIX" on a follis ID'ing the mint. Most of Justinian's coins are marked with "Theup" for Theopolis. The coin was found in Israel.

[the_Thing ®]

From David Sear's website

 

To conclude this brief survey of the numismatic record of natural disasters we advance to a much later age, when Rome was no longer the imperial capital and most of the former western provinces had became barbarian kingdoms. The year was AD 528 and the emperor Justinian had recently succeeded his uncle Justin on the throne of Constantinople. On November 29th the celebrated city of Antioch, capital of Syria, founded more than 800 years before by the first of the Seleucid kings, was struck by an unusually powerful earthquake which reduced much of the place to rubble. So extensive was the necessary rebuilding that the decision was taken to cut the ties with the pagan past and to rename the city Theoupolis ("City of God"). Rare early issues of bronze coinage under Justinian bear the mint mark "ANTIX" and may be dated to the brief period August 527 to November 528. All subsequent issues from the mint have the mark "THEUP" or similar. Thus, a violent seismic event resulted in a change in name for one of the most famous cities of the Graeco-Roman world, an episode faithfully chronicled on the coinage of the early Byzantine state.

[Hoot]

Ultra cool. Great story. BTW, I checked out Sear's web site - quite and excellent resource. Thanks for the linky.

 

Hoot