Solidus
Unknown Artist
565–578
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Overall: 13/16 x 1/16 in. (2 x 0.1 cm)
Classification
Coins
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Darius Ogden Mills, 1904
Accession Number
04.35.3353
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the **Solidus**, a exquisite gold coin from the Byzantine Empire, minted between 565 and 578 CE during the reign of Emperor Justin II. Measuring just 13/16 x 1/16 inches, this tiny treasure exemplifies the empire's mastery of numismatic art. Crafted in pure gold—a medium symbolizing imperial wealth and divine favor—the solidus served as the backbone of Byzantine trade, maintaining a stable weight and purity that underscored Constantinople's economic prowess amid medieval Europe's turmoil. Featuring detailed human faces and figures, likely imperial portraits on the obverse and symbolic ...