21. Late Roman / Byzantine Bronze Bracelet

C. 5th - 7th Century A.D.

A heavy bronze late Roman or Byzantine bracelet with attractive decoration in the form of crosses and raised dots.

Condition: Very good. A solid bronze bracelet with attractive patination.

Dimensions: Dia. 58 mm x 11 mm.

Provenance: Ex. Don Lee collection UK, formed between 1950 - 2007.

Don Lee was a prolific collector of antiquities and coins. A former school teacher from London, Don made some remarkable finds himself, including a fabulously rare Wuneetton type gold thrymsa while 'mudlarking' on the banks of the river Thames at the age of 76! His collection spanned thousands of years from Stone Age axe heads to Roman glass and Viking brooches. His collection of coins and antiquities was auctioned in the summer of 2007.

SOLD

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Eastern Roman Empire

The Eastern Roman Empire, variously known as the Byzantine Empire or Byzantium, was able to survive for centuries after the fall of Rome. Though Byzantium was ruled by Roman law and Roman political institutions, and its official language was Latin, Greek was also widely spoken, and students received education in Greek history, literature and culture.

In terms of religion, the Council of Chalcedon in 451 officially established the division of the Christian world into separate patriarchates, including Rome (where the patriarch would later call himself pope), Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. Even after the Islamic empire absorbed Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem in the seventh century, the Byzantine emperor would remain the spiritual leader of most eastern Christians.