Bronze Coin - Follis, E. Roman/Byzantine Empire, c. 976-1028 AD. Reign of Basil II-Constantine VIII. (29 mm, 9.07 gm)
Obv: Bust of haloed Christ with Gospel Book.
Rev: IHSUS XRISTUS BASILEU BASILE (''Jesus Christ King of Kings'')
Basil II was a Byzantine Emperor from the Macedonian dynasty. He was known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his supposed ancestor, Basil I the Macedonian. Despite near-constant warfare, Basil also showed himself a capable administrator, reducing the power of the great land-owning families who dominated the Empire's administration and military, while filling the Empire's treasury.
Of far-reaching importance was Basil's decision to offer the hand of his sister Anna to Vladimir I of Kiev in exchange for military support, which led to the Christianization of the Kievan Rus' and the incorporation of later successor nations of Kievan Rus' within the Byzantine cultural and religious tradition.
