made a DENARIUS).
CHRISTIANITY ON COINS:
The rise of Christianity, and its acceptance by the Constantine early in the fourth century AD brought about major changes in Roman coinage. When Emperor Constantine ascended the throne of Rome in the fourth century AD, and the transformation of Christianity to the faith of the Romans, coins still reflected mixed tendencies, depicting images from the Roman pantheon as well as Christograms. The Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363) considered Christianity a disaster for Rome and reinstated pagan images on his coinage. After he died, however, Christianity regained power and influence. Only after Theodosius I came to power (379-395), and the adoption of Christianity as the sole faith of the empire, did Christian images and symbols (crosses) appear on coins. At the end of the fourth century AD and during the fifth century AD, the cross and Christian symbolism had already become established as the primary motifs on coinage. THE
BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND ITS COINAGE:
After the death of Theodosius I (379-395), the polical structure of the Roman Empire changed considerably. The empire was divided into two – the Western Empire ruled by the barbarous German tribes, and the Eastern by the Byzantine Empire ruled by Christian emperors, until the Moslem conquest in the seventh century. Due to the fusion between the Church and the state, the cross became one of the most important symbols on coins, appearing on the obverse on emperor’s crowns and terrestial globes. On the reverse of many gold coins, the cross is depicted at the stop of a stairway.
During the reign of Justian II (685-695), the portrait of Christ was first minted on coins. The reverse of the thin gold coins had the standing