

Solidus of Justinian I (r. 527–565), 538–565
Byzantine; Minted in Constantinople
Gold
Byzantine; Minted in Constantinople
Gold
Diam. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)
Bequest of Joseph H. Durkee, 1898 (99.35.7406)
Coins connected an emperor to his subjects. Through inscriptions and images, they conveyed imperial ideals and commemorated auspicious events. The emperor paid the army and received taxes in coins, and he was responsible for maintaining their weight and purity. This coin was minted under Justinian, whose preference for a completely frontal portraitrather than the traditional profilewould set a standard for the rest of Byzantine history.







