Month: December 2019
Solidus of Justinian II
Jesus Christ first appeared on Roman coins during the reign of Justinian II. He ruled the Eastern Roman (or Byzantine Empire) from 685 to 695 A.D. and again from 705 to 711 A.D. Reign of Justinian II Justinian II first ruled the Roman Empire alongside his father, Emperor Constantine IV. In 685, at the age […]
December 31, 2019
Justinian I AE Follis
Roman Emperor Justinian I, Justinian the Great, ruled the Byzantine Empire from 527 A.D. to 565 A.D. Among his many accomplishments, Justinian codified all existing Roman laws in what would be known as the Codex Justinianus. Of particular interest to numismatists, Justinian eliminated pagan imagery from Roman coinage in the East. Reign of Justinian I Justinian was adopted by his uncle, […]
December 23, 2019
Saint Helena’s Portrait
Saint Helena was the wife of the Roman emperor Constantius I and the mother of the emperor Constantine the Great. Due to her significant influence during his reign, Constantine minted coins with her name, titles and portrait. Influence of Helena Helena was married to Constantine’s father, Constantius, until they divorced around 289 A.D. After he […]
December 17, 2019
Constantine the Great AE Follis
Constantine the Great was the first Christian emperor of Rome. Nonetheless, many of the coins issued during his reign still incorporated pagan designs. Reign of Constantine Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, ruled the Roman Empire from AD 306 and 337. He rose to power during a time of civil war, becoming the […]
December 9, 2019
Commodus As Hercules on the Denarius
Commodus, the son of Marcus Aurelius, served as the Emperor of Rome from 180 to 192 A.D. During his reign, he came to associate himself with Hercules, minting coins of himself wearing the Greek hero’s trademark lion-skin headdress. Decline of the Roman Empire Marcus Aurelius reversed all of his accomplishment as a Roman Emperor in […]
December 3, 2019