Leontius. 695-698. AV Solidus (18.5mm, 4.45 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 2nd officina. EF.

CNG Feature Auction 133
Lot: 678. Estimated: $ 1 000

Byzantine, Coin-in-Hand Video, Gold

Sold For $ 3 250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

Leontius. 695-698. AV Solidus (18.5mm, 4.45 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 2nd officina. Crowned facing bust, wearing loros, holding akakia and globus cruciger / Cross potent set on three steps; B//CONOB. DOC 1b; MIB 1; SB 1330. Toned. EF.

From the Best Collection of Byzantine Coins. Ex Ponterio 112 (27 April 2001), lot 73.

Leontius was appointed as the strategos of the Anatolic Theme by Justinian II’s father Constantine IV. Continuing into Justinian’s reign, Leontius was dispatched to combat the threat of the Umayyads. However, at the battle of Sabastopolis in 692, Leontius was defeated by the Umayyad army when the majority of his Anatolian Slavic forces defected. He was imprisoned by Justinian for this failure but released in 695 and appointed the strategos of Hellas. Not long thereafter, Leontius exploited dissatisfactions with Justinian’s reign among various factions and led a successful rebellion. Leontius subsequently had Justinian mutilated and exiled to Cherson, the Byzantine enclave in Crimea. However, soon thereafter the Umayyads invaded Byzantine North African and ultimately captured Carthage. The Byzantine naval forces that Leontius dispatched to recapture Carthage were unsuccessful. Fearing reprisal from the Emperor, the navy rebelled and proclaimed the droungarios of the Cibyrrhaeot Theme, Apsimar, as Emperor. Apsimar successfully besieged Constantinople and had Leontius mutilated and exiled to a monastery. However, Justinian II ultimately returned to power with the backing of the Bulgars. Upon reassuming imperial power, he had both usurpers, Leontius and Apsimar, executed.

The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 133 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 15-16 September 2026.

CNG Feature Auction 133 – Session Three – Lot 595-896 will be held Wednesday morning, 16 September 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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