Basil II Bulgaroktonos, with Constantine VIII. 976-1025. AV Histamenon Nomisma (22mm, 4.47 g, 6h). Constantinople mint. Struck 977–989(?). + IhS XIS RЄX RЄGNANTIUM, facing bust of Christ Pantokrator, with pellet–in–annulet in each arm of nimbus / + bASIL’ C’ COnSτANτI’ b’ R’, crowned facing half-length busts of Basil II, wearing loros, and Constantine VIII, wearing chlamys, holding long patriarchal cross between them. DOC 2j; SB 1796. Near EF. An attractive bust of Christ.
From the JMG Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 75 (23 May 2007), lot 19.
Probably the most militant of the Byzantine emperors, Basil never married, devoting his entire reign to conducting campaigns against Bulgarians, Fatimids, Georgians and the western principalites. At the Battle of Kleidion in 1014, he acquired his nickname Bulgar–Slayer (Bulgaroktonos) when he captured and blinded somewhere between 8,000 and 15,000 Bulgarians (sparing one out of every one–hundred to lead the other ninety–nine home). The Bulgarian tsar Samuel is said to have died of despair when he saw what had been done to his men.
