ANASTASIUS II ARTEMIUS (713-715). GOLD Solidus. Constantinople.

Obv: D N ARTЄMIЧS ANASTASIЧS MЧL.
Crowned and draped facing bust, holding globus cruciger and akakia.
Rev: VICTORIA AVςЧ A / CONOB.
Cross potent set upon three steps.

MIB 2; DOC 2a; Sear 1463.

Artemius was an imperial secretary during the reign of Philippicus before overthrowing him in 713, ascending the throne as Anastasius II. He immediately took an oath of orthodoxy to move away from the religious views of his predecessor, of monothete faith, in order to realign with tradition. Foreign policy posed a greater danger, as the Arabs were expanding into Asia Minor in the absence of a solid Byzantine dynasty. Anastasius thus organised a great naval expedition to Rhodes, but an internal betrayal led to his defeat and the rebels appointed a new emperor, a tax collector named Theodosius. Anastasius then faced a civil war, which ended after six months when the rebels prevailed with the help of the Ostrogoths. The emperor was forced to become a monk, but continued to plot to regain his throne, trying to gain the help of the Bulgarian Khan. His attempt came to an end with his assassination in 720, during the reign of Leo III, Theodosius' successor

Condition: Good extremely fine.

Weight: 4.47 g.
Diameter: 19 mm.