This solidus of Arcadius was minted in AD 395. Arcadius’ father Theodosius had just died. His brother Honorius administered the western part of the empire from Rome, and he himself administered the east from Constantinople. The beginning of the Byzantine Empire!
This time we have a so-called half siliqua of Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths. He ruled over Italy from AD 493 to 526, with the favour of the powerful Eastern Roman Emperor Anastasius I. That’s why we see the portrait of Anastasius on the obverse.
This gold coin is an issue by Sico I, the Lombard Prince of Benevento (817-832). His realm was in southern Italy and bordered Byzantine territories. Coins like this solidus testify of the neighbour’s cultural impact.
Commodity money including various tools had a long tradition in China. Knife money circulated for centuries, especially in northern China. This specimen from the Qi Kingdom dates to the 4th century BC.
Today you will see the Persian King Darius the Great (ca. 522-486 B.C.) in a half-kneeling stance as brave archer on one of his gold coins. For a long time, these darics, which were named after him, were a popular means of payment throughout the Mediterranean world.
This gold coin comes from the Empire of Kushan in Northern India. But it resembles Sasanian coins because – when it was struck in the middle of the 4th c. AD – the Sasanians had conquered the Kushan empire at that time.
For many collectors, Greek coins form the highlight of numismatics. Already the Celts of Britain were enchanted by these coins. A gold stater of Cunobelinus from the 1st century BC was inspired by coins of Alexander the Great.
Northern India experienced a period of prosperity around 400 under the Gupta dynasty. King Chandragupta II not only promoted arts and culture, he was also called the “world conqueror”. With bow and arrow, Chandragupta shows his martial side on this golden dinar.
Well-shaved or with beard? It’s always a statement – and it even was in ancient Rome. Hadrian was the first emperor with beard. Why? Scholars are still trying to figure out the answer. The beard certainly added a whole new “touch” to his coins as this aureus shows.
Vespasianus had to balance the budget – and created a tax for using public urinals. Smelling at the coins, the pragmatist stated: “It does not stink!“ Neither does this denarius. But you can look directly into the face of the cunning politician that Vespasianus was!
