Coin of Maurice Tiberius c. 583 - 584

This coin was made during the reign of Maurice Tiberius, who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 582 to 602 AD. As a medium of exchange, this coin gives insight into the empire's economic and political systems. On one side, the coin features a portrait of Maurice Tiberius himself. As a ruler during a tumultuous period, his image served to project authority and power. The coin's reverse side shows a Chi-Rho symbol, a Christian emblem, which reflects the importance of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire. Coins such as these facilitated trade and commerce, but they also served as tools for imperial messaging, connecting the image of the emperor with daily life. Reflect on how something as simple as a coin could serve as a powerful reminder of the influence of the empire, and faith of the people.