Gold Nomisma - Eastern Rome-Byzantine, c. 976-1025 AD.
Basil II & Constantine VIII.
Obv: Facing bust of haloed Christ, holding Book of Gospels.
Rev: Facing busts of Basil (lt) & Constantine (rt) with patriarchal cross between them.
Striking Portrait of Christ!
Sear-B1806. 20mm, 4.20gm.
In 960, Basil was associated on the throne by his father, but the latter died in 963, when Basil was only five years old. Because he and his brother, the future Emperor Constantine VIII (ruled 1025–1028), were too young to reign in their own right, Basil's mother Theophano married one of Romanos' leading generals, who took the throne as the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas several months later in 963.
Nikephoros was murdered in 969 by his nephew John I Tzimisces, who then became emperor and reigned for seven years. Finally, when John died on 10 January 976, Basil II took the throne as senior emperor.
