Decanummium of Maurice, Constantinople c. 6th - 7th century

This is a Decanummium of Maurice, a bronze coin minted in Constantinople during the reign of Maurice Tiberius. Observe the coin's patinated surface, which speaks to its age and material composition. The coin's design is structured around the iconography of power and faith. The emperor's image, though worn, is framed by stylized, radial lines, creating a halo-like effect. This formal choice is not arbitrary; it reinforces the emperor's divinely sanctioned authority. On the reverse, the mark of value sits above a horizontal line. The arrangement, with its crude incisions, suggests a hierarchy of symbolic elements. This Decanummium acts as a potent signifier of the Byzantine state's economic and ideological systems. Even in its deteriorated state, the coin's formal design bears witness to the complex interplay between imperial power, religious belief, and economic function. It reminds us that even the smallest objects can carry a wealth of historical and cultural meaning.