Solidus
Unknown Artist
610–641
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Overall: 7/8 x 1/16 in. (2.2 x 0.1 cm)
Classification
Coins
Culture
Byzantine
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Darius Ogden Mills, 1904
Accession Number
04.2.820
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Solidus*, a exquisite gold coin from the Byzantine Empire, minted between 610 and 641 CE. Measuring just 7/8 x 1/16 inches (2.2 x 0.1 cm), this treasure exemplifies the precision of medieval coinage. Crafted in pure gold—a medium symbolizing imperial wealth and stability—it served as a standard unit of currency across the empire's vast trade networks, from Constantinople to the edges of Europe and the Islamic world. Struck during a pivotal era in Byzantine history, the *Solidus* likely features portraits of emperors, as suggested by its tags, reflecting the ruler's divine authorit...