Coin of Maurice Tiberius c. 600 - 601

This bronze coin, minted during the reign of Maurice Tiberius, features the emperor in military attire, a symbol deeply rooted in Roman tradition. The helmet, more than mere head protection, signifies power and authority, echoing the god Mars. Consider how this imagery resonates with the earlier Roman Republic. We see emperors appropriating military symbolism not just for display, but as an appeal to collective memory. The military figure, though rendered in the Byzantine style, is part of a chain stretching back to antiquity, representing continuity of power and the emperor's role as protector of the state. It's a powerful invocation of past glories. And what of the cross on the reverse? The cross appropriates the Roman symbol of victory. This transformation of the Roman military symbol into a Christian symbol illustrates a continuous narrative of cultural and religious evolution. The past is never truly gone; it resurfaces and transforms in the crucible of history.