Gold Solidus of Theodosius I (379–95)
Unknown Artist
379–395
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Overall: 13/16 x 1/16 in. (2.1 x 0.1 cm)
Classification
Coins
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Joseph H. Durkee, 1898
Accession Number
99.35.103
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the Gold Solidus of Theodosius I a shimmering testament to the power of one of Rome's final great emperors. Minted between 379 and 395 CE during the early Byzantine era, this tiny gold coin (just 13/16 x 1/16 inches) captures Theodosius I in profile—a classic imperial portrait style that conveyed divine authority and continuity with Roman tradition. As the last ruler to govern both the Eastern and Western Empires, Theodos solidified Christianity as the state religion through the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 CE, bridging pagan antiquity and the Christian Byzantine world. Crafted in pure...