Solidus (Coin) of Constantine IV Pogonatus
670-680
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Diam.: 1.5 cm (5/8 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
36640
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the emperor Constantine IV, facing forward with a short beard; in his right hand he holds a spear. On the back (reverse) two crowned figures (likely the emperors Heraclius and Tiberius), are portrayed holding globes, each of which is topped with a with cross. Between them a larger cross is shown atop three steps.
About the Artist
Byzantine
"Byzantine" is the collective attribution given to anonymous artists working within the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, whose creations spanned from the 4th to the 15th centuries, primarily in Constantinople and its cultural sphere. These masters produced a vast body of art that defined an era, with museums like the Walters Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago cataloging numerous works un...