Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 1092. Estimate $7500.  Closing Date: Monday, 12 January 2004.  Sold For $8000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

REVOLT of the HERACLII. 608-610 AD. AV Solidus (4.49 gm). Alexandretta or Cyprus mint. Dated indictional year 11 (608 AD). DN ERACLIO CONSVLI BA, facing busts of the Exarch Heraclius and his son, both bearded and wearing consular garb / VICTORIA CONSL B, cross potent on four steps; IA/CONOB. DOC II 11 (same obverse die); MIB III 3; SB 719 (Alexandria). Superb EF. [See color enlargement on plate 20] ($7500)

From the Glenn Woods Collection. Ex Leu 45 (26 May 1988), lot 405; Auctiones 13 (23-24 June 1983), lot 848.

Having survived several real and imagined plots to overthrow him, the brutal Phocas was finally brought down by the governor of Carthage and his son, who led a methodical campaign to strip Phocas of all his remaining support. It is likely that fewer people died during the course of the revolt than did during a comparable period under the rule of Phocas. All the revolt coins are dated by indictional or interregnal years; the reign of Heraclius not beginning until the capture of Constantinople and his official proclamation as emperor.

Sear lists revolt solidi for two mints, Carthage and Alexandria. The stylistic differences, however, between SB 718-719 and 720 are so radical that it is extremely unlikely they could be from the same mint. SB 718-719 were probably struck at a temporary mint in Cyprus or Syria, both of which were staging areas for the final assault on Constantinople.