Coin of Maurice Tiberius c. 589 - 590

This is a coin of Maurice Tiberius, likely made in the late 6th century CE, during his reign as Byzantine Emperor. The coin tells us about the politics of imagery in the Byzantine Empire. On one side, the coin depicts a stylized portrait of Maurice Tiberius himself, adorned with imperial regalia. The other side likely depicts a symbol of the state or the emperor's military achievements. As a medium of exchange, coins were a key tool for disseminating political imagery and asserting imperial authority. The image of the emperor would have been recognizable throughout the Byzantine Empire. The iconography would have been understood to signal the emperor's power and legitimacy. Understanding the role of this coin requires an appreciation of the institutional history of the Byzantine Empire. Numismatics, the study of coins, can offer valuable insight into the economic, social, and political structures of past societies.