Byzantine Empire • AE Follis • NGC Ancients
Romanos IV — Copper Follis (AD 1068–1071)
🏛️ NGC Grade: VF
✝️ Obverse: Christ
✚ Reverse: Cross + motto
📌 Coin Details
🖼️ Designs & Motto
Obverse: Portrait of Christ.
Reverse: A cross quartered with the letters C • B • P • Δ,
abbreviating the motto:
Σταυρὲ σου βοήθει Ρωμανόν δεσπότην
“Thy Cross aid the Lord Romanos.”
Note: The NGC label reads “Byzantine Empire • Romanus IV • AE Follis • Portrait of Christ • VF”.
🎞️ Historical Visuals (small)
Romanos IV (portrait)
Manzikert-era depiction
Images shown for historical reference (Wikimedia Commons/Wikipedia media).
⚔️ The Story Behind the Coin
Romanos IV ruled during a high-stakes moment for Byzantium, pushing hard to restore military strength and counter mounting pressure in the east.
But his reign is inseparable from the empire-shaking defeat at Manzikert (1071), where he was captured—a turning point that destabilized Byzantine control in Anatolia.
🗺️ Collapse in Real Time
While Romanos was a prisoner, rivals in Constantinople moved quickly, and he was deposed.
When he returned, he faced civil conflict, defeat, and forced surrender—despite assurances that his life would be spared.
🕯️ A Brutal End
In 1072, Romanos was blinded with extreme severity and sent into exile on Prote (Sea of Marmara).
Without proper care, the wounds became infected, and he died soon after—one of the most grim downfalls of any Byzantine emperor.
✝️ Motto Meaning
That’s what makes the reverse so haunting: a prayer—“Thy Cross aid the Lord Romanos”—paired with a reign that ended in betrayal, exile, and death.
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