Levon I silver Tran

[gpimper]

Interesting silver.  1198-1289 Levon I Tram from Cilicia Armenia.  Pretty good condition.  https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces37315.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cilicia#/media/File:Cilicia_Map_by_Heinrich_Kiepert.png

[Figleaf]

Really nice coin with plenty of detail, Greg. An interesting piece of history. On the Numista page you linked to, Cilician Armenia is lumped together with the crusader states. The truth is more interesting.

In a few words, skipping much detail, even in Roman times, Armenia had managed some independence from Rome and Parthia, full independence at times. In Byzantine times, Armenians settled on the South-Eastern coast of what is now Turkey. The Cilician Armenians wriggled out some independence from the Byzantines, even as the Seljuqs of Rum grew stronger. They established an independent kingdom under Leon I. What eventually did them in was an attack of crusaders on Constantinople, that was highly profitable for the Seljuqs.

Peter

[Manzikert]

This is a fascinating series, but the script is always a bit of a problem.

They managed to survive as a vassal state of the Seljuks for a few years, so we get the interesting issues with the Armenian King Hethum I on one side and a reverse citing the Rum Seljuq ruler Kaykhusraw II as his overlord. My rather poor specimen below, 1241 AD (639 H).

Alan

[Figleaf]

Fishing for compliments, Manzikert? With only a little wear on the horse's hind parts, this is a very nice for type coin!

Peter

[Manzikert]

No Peter, just well aware that there are a fair few far better ones around, but well outside my financial reach

Alan