Very Rare Byzantine Empire Duchy of Trebizond Theodore Gabras c. 1075 - 1126 AD

 

BZ113699. Bronze follis, Bendall Trebizond, issue 12, pl. 7, 15 - 16; DOC IV Trebizond p. 432, 12; undertype: Bendall Trebizond, issue 11, pl. 6, 13, aVF, strong undertype effects resulting in an obscure reverse type, encrustations, porosity, clipped polygonal flan with 8 sides (as minted), 3.411g, 23.5mm, 180^o, Trebizond (Trabzon, Turkey) mint, facing bust of Christ, bearded and nimbate, larger pellet with four smaller pellets around in each limb of cross, wearing tunic and himation, Gospels in right hand, IC - XC (Greek abbreviation: Ihsoús Xristós - Jesus Christ) across field; reverse bust of St. Demetrius, beardless, nimbate, wearing tunic, breastplate and sagion, spear in right hand over right shoulder, Θ left, Δ/I/M in a column right (Greek abbreviation: St. Demetrius); first specimen of this type handled by FORVM, zero sales of this type listed on Coin Archives in the last two decades; extremely rare

 

The general Theodore Gabras captured Trebizond and ruled it and the theme of Chaldia as a virtually autonomous state (c. 1081 - 1098). He was celebrated for his martial exploits, and was later venerated as a saint in the region. Following the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the region became the center of the new Empire of Trebizond which survived until falling to the Ottomans in 1461.