Although not all Christians celebrate Christmas Day on December 25
(some still use the Julian Calendar date corresponding to January 7), as
we are, in either case, a few days away from Christmas this seemed an
appropriate time to examine a few ancient coins on our website that
carry early Christian symbols, all created after the Roman Empire had
adopted Christianity as the state religion.
We begin with a bronze Centenionalis of Aelia Flacilla (died AD 386),
wife of the Emperor Theodosius I. The reverse of this fairly large
medium value coin bears an image of the formerly Pagan personification
of Victory seated and inscribing a shield with the “Chi-Rho” symbol that
had been used by Constantine I, the first Emperor to adopt Christianity
some 50 years earlier, as his standard at the Battle of the Milvian
Bridge.
Despite popular belief the Chi-Rho, formed by combining the Greek
capital letters chi and rho to form the sound of the first two letters
of Christ’s name, has its roots in Paganism, having been used by much
earlier Greek scribes as a means of indicating in the margins of a
scroll or manuscript a key passage, abbreviating the Greek word
“chreston” (good). This scarce coin is shown in its entirety below, with
a link to it on our website.
Next is the reverse of a tiny bronze coin of Theodosius II, Emperor
from AD 408-450, struck at Constantinople, which had long since replaced
Rome itself as hub of the Empire. This is a very early instance of the
cross or christogram appearing as the sole decorative device on the
reverse of a coin.
There
is no text to accompany the image, simply a laurel wreath surrounding
it (the wreath again conveying much pre-Christian symbolism). The issuer
of this coin, Theodosius II, is perhaps best known for 2 achievements:
the Theodosian Code, a compilation of laws issued in the Empire since
the time of Constantine I, and building the great land walls of
Constantinople, which survived all siege attempts until the final
Ottoman assault in 1453. Here is the coin again, showing both obverse
and reverse, with a link.
Finally, we have a medieval coin of the Byzantine Empire (even at
this stage, the Byzantines certainly thought of themselves as Romans),
dating to AD 1185-1195, the reign of the Emperor Issac II Angelus, There
is little to say about Issac II, other than he was the first of 3
consecutive incompetent rulers whose mismanagement resulted, just 20
years later, in Constantinople falling into the hands of western armies
for 50 years, before liberation under dynamic new rulers who helped
inspire the final flowering of Byzantine art and culture.
There is much to say about the coin. It is made from about 2.5%
silver with the rest copper. These poor quality coins, usually very
badly struck, were made in great numbers and are today quite affordable.
Our example is fairly well struck with relatively clear images. The
obverse depicts the Virgin seated and supporting the head of the infant
Christ.
Unlike
Roman coins of the Christian era, Byzantine coins carry the Emperor’s
image on the reverse, with purely Christian images or symbols on the
obverse. In this case, the emperor is depicted facing, holding an
elaborate ceremonial cross and ceremonial clothing rich in Christian
symbolism. Here is the coin in its entirety with link.
All of these small objects are heavy with
symbolism, both Christian and Pagan, and should remind us of how the
images and ideas of so long ago have shaped our world today.
