Gold Tremissis of Theophilos
Unknown Artist
831–842
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Overall: 7/16 x 1/16 in. (1.1 x 0.1 cm)
Classification
Coins
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.122
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Gold Tremissis of Theophilos*, a diminutive yet dazzling artifact from the Byzantine Empire, minted between 831 and 842 during the reign of Emperor Theophilos (r. 829–842). This tiny gold coin, measuring just 7/16 x 1/16 inches (1.1 x 0.1 cm), represents the economic and imperial might of Byzantium at its medieval height. As a tremissis—a third of the standard solidus—it circulated widely, facilitating trade across the Mediterranean and symbolizing the empire's enduring wealth and stability amid political turbulence. Crafted in pure gold, the coin exemplifies Byzantine numismatic ...