Solidus of Justinian II (Cleveland Museum of Art 2012.47)

Byzantine Gold Coins The vast number of surviving Byzantine coins attests to the level of trade across the empire. Controlled and supervised by the emperor, the producers of coins took care to represent his authority and reflect his stature.

Talented artists were recruited to engrave the dies (molds) used for the striking of coins. Emperors increasingly came to include their heirs and co-emperors on their coinage, as well as other family members or even earlier rulers. Coins were recognized, then as now, as small, portable works of art. With their inscriptions and images, Byzantine coins provide valuable documentation of historical events and a record of the physical appearance of the emperors.

The coins shown here include the solidus, the basic gold coin of 24 karats; the tremissis, a gold coin of one-third the weight and value of the solidus; and the nomisma, which in the 10th century replaced the solidus as the standard gold coin. Cleveland Museum of Art object 2012.47: Solidus of Justinian II, 705. Byzantium, Constantinople. Gold; diameter: 2 cm (13/16 in.). Inscribed: Obverse: Bust of Christ, facing, with mustache, close beard, and curly hair; wearing pallium over colobium, his right hand is raised in benediction; his left holds the book of gospels.

Behind his head is a cross. Inscription: dN IhS ChS REX REGNANTIUM Reverse: Bust of Justinian II, with mustache and close beard, wearing loros and crown with cross on circlet. In right hand he holds a cross potent on base with three steps, in his left hand he holds a patriarchal cross on globe inscribed with the letters PAX Inscription: DN IUSTINIANUS MULTUS AN. Details are those of this museum object; how far it represents a wider type has not been independently verified.