Byzantine coinage
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Numismatics the study of currency |
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Byzantine currency, money used in the
The
Iconography
Early Byzantine coins continue the late Greco-Roman conventions: on the
The type of Justinian II was revived after the end of Iconoclasm, and with variations remained the norm until the end of the Empire.
In the 10th century, so-called "anonymous folles" were struck instead of the earlier coins depicting the emperor. The anonymous folles featured the bust of Jesus on the obverse and the inscription "XRISTUS/bASILEU/bASILE", which translates to "Christ, Emperor of Emperors"
Byzantine coins followed, and took to the furthest extreme, the tendency of precious metal coinage to get thinner and wider as time goes on. Late Byzantine gold coins became thin wafers that could be bent by hand.
The Byzantine coinage had a prestige that lasted until near the end of the Empire. European rulers, once they again started issuing their own coins, tended to follow a simplified version of Byzantine patterns, with full face ruler portraits on the obverse.
Denominations
The start of what is viewed as Byzantine currency by numismatics began with the
New bronze coins, multiples of the nummus were introduced, such as the 40 nummi (also known as the follis), 20 nummi (also known as the semifollis), 10 nummi (also known as the decanummium, and 5 nummi coins (also known as the pentanummium); other denominations were occasionally produced. The obverse (front) of these coins featured a highly stylized portrait of the emperor while the reverse (back) featured the value of the denomination represented according to the Greek numbering system (M=40, Λ=30, K=20, I=10, E=5). Silver coins were rarely produced.
The only regularly issued silver coin was the Hexagram first issued by Heraclius in 615 which lasted until the end of the 7th century,[4][5] minted in varying fineness with a weight generally between 7.5 and 8.5 grams. It was succeeded by the initially ceremonial miliaresion established by Leo III the Isaurian in ca. 720, which became standard issue from ca. 830 on and until the late 11th century, when it was discontinued after being severely debased. Small transactions were conducted with bronze coinage throughout this period.
The gold
The Byzantine monetary system changed during the 7th century when the 40 nummi (also known as the follis), now significantly smaller, became the only bronze coin to be regularly issued. Although Justinian II (685–695 and 705–711) attempted a restoration of the follis size of Justinian I, the follis continued to slowly decrease in size.
In the early 9th century, a three-fourths-weight solidus was issued in parallel with a full-weight solidus, both preserving the standard of fineness, under a failed plan to force the market to accept the underweight coins at the value of the full weight coins. The 11⁄12 weight coin was called a tetarteron (a Greek comparative adjective, literally "fourth-er"), and the full weight solidus was called the histamenon. The tetarteron was unpopular and was only sporadically reissued during the 10th century. The full weight solidus was struck at 72 to the Roman pound, roughly 4.48 grams in weight. There were also solidi of weight reduced by one siliqua issued for trade with the Near East. These reduced solidi, with a star both on obverse and reverse, weighed about 4.25 g.
The Byzantine solidus was valued in Western Europe, where it became known as the bezant, a corruption of Byzantium. The term bezant then became the name for the heraldic symbol of a roundel, tincture or – i.e. a gold disc.
Alexius I reforms
Former money changer
It was introduced along with the electrum
Andronicus II reforms
During
The hyperpyron remained in regular issue and circulation until the 1350s, remaining in use thereafter only as a
These scyphate (cup-shaped) coins known as trachy were issued in both electrum (debased gold) and billon (debased silver). The exact reason for such coins is not known, although it is usually theorized that they were shaped for easier stacking.
1367 reform
During this last phase of Byzantine coinage gold issues were discontinued and a regular silver issue was commenced. The denomination was the Stavraton issued in 1, 1⁄2, 1⁄8[1] and 1⁄16 stavraton.[9][10] Also issued were the copper follaro and tornesse.[11]
Buying power
It is possible to get some small snapshots in time, specific to region, culture and local inflation. The literary world is littered with references to prices from different time frames. A good portion of them may be inaccurate or tainted by translation.
At Jerusalem in the sixth century a building worker received 1⁄20 solidus per day, that is 21 folles. A casual labourer at Alexandria in the early seventh century earned 1⁄23 solidus. A family's vegetable allowance for one day cost 5 folles. A pound of fish 6 folles, a loaf of bread was 3 folles worth at a time of shortage. The cheapest blanket was worth 1⁄4 solidus, a second-hand cloak 1 solidus, and a donkey 3 or 4 solidi.[12]
Relative values
Solidi | Folles | Half folles | Decanummia | Pentanummia | Nummi | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solidus | 1 | 420 | 840 | 1680 | 3360 | 16,800 |
Follis | 1⁄420 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 40 |
Half follis | 1⁄840 | 1⁄2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
Decanummium | 1⁄1680 | 1⁄4 | 1⁄2 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
Pentanummium | 1⁄3360 | 1⁄8 | 1⁄4 | 1⁄2 | 1 | 5 |
Nummus | 1⁄16,800 | 1⁄40 | 1⁄20 | 1⁄10 | 1⁄5 | 1 |
See also
Byzantine culture |
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Notes
- ^ The front-facing variant was introduced by Maxentius and was also used by Licinius and Constantius II before becoming the standard portrait in the East, although it was also used to a lesser extent in the West.
- Aelia Pulcheria. But such images of Christ were far from popular until many years later.[2]
References
- ^ a b "The Story of Constantine XI; The Last Byzantine Emperor (1448-1453 AD)". 8 May 2008. Archived from the original on 4 November 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- ^ Banning, Edward (18 April 1987). "Byzantine Coins Led Way in Using Christ's Image". The Globe and Mail. p. C20.
- ^ "The Story of Justinian". Tulane.edu. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- ^ "Greek and Roman Coins". Cngcoins.com. 8 May 2008.
- ^ "Byzantine coins". Doaks.org. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
- ^ [1] Archived 7 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "History 303: Comnenian and Palaeogian Ages". Tulane.edu. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
- ^ [2] Archived 8 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "The Basilicon Episode (1304–ca. 1367)". Doaks.org. 8 May 2008. Archived from the original on 28 June 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- ^ "Manuel II Paleologus". Dirtyoldcoins.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
- ^ "The Stavraton Period (14th–15th centuries)". Doaks.org. 8 May 2008. Archived from the original on 7 August 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- ^ Mango, Cyril. (1980) "Byzantium: the empire of New Rome". Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Page 40.
- ^ "History 303: Justinian and Heraclius". Tulane.edu. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
Sources
- Grierson, Philip (1982), Byzantine coins, Taylor & Francis, ISBN 978-0-416-71360-2
- Grierson, Philip (1999), Byzantine coinage (PDF), Dumbarton Oaks, ISBN 978-0-88402-274-9
- Hendy, Michael F. (1985), Studies in the Byzantine Monetary Economy c.300–1450, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-24715-2
- ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6
External links
- Byzantine coinage by rulers
- Byzantine coinage by Sear numbers
- Digital Library Numis (DLN) Archived 5 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine Online books and articles on Byzantine coins
- Talking about Ancient and Byzantine Coins: Interview with Yannis Stoyas Archived 6 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine An informative October 2015 interview on the Byzantine coinage with a leading Greek numismatist