Anonymous Follis (Coin), Attributed to Theodora

About this artwork

The front (obverse) of this coin depicts a jeweled, inscribed Greek cross with discs at each terminus. On the back (reverse) Christ Antiphonetes is shown with a nimbus cruciger, pallium, and book.

Art Historical Context

This bronze Anonymous Follis, struck in 1055–1056 and attributed to the brief reign of Byzantine Empress Theodora, represents a fascinating chapter in imperial coinage. Measuring only three centimeters across, the small disk was produced during a time when the empire’s mints began issuing coins without the ruler’s portrait or name, instead favoring religious imagery. Theodora, the last sovereign of the Macedonian dynasty, ruled independently for just over a year, making this coin a tangible link to one of the rare moments when a woman held sole authority in Constantinople. As both currency and cultural artifact, the piece reflects the Byzantine fusion of faith, governance, and artistry. Its bronze medium allowed for widespread circulation, while the careful striking process preserved delicate details that conveyed imperial legitimacy and Christian devotion to everyday users across the empire. Today, preserved in the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine art, the coin invites visitors to consider how even modest objects once shaped the identity and economy of a vast medieval state.

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...