Miliaresion of Basil II, Constantinople

Miliaresion of Basil II, Constantinople

Byzantine Silver Coin

Produced in 989 under the rule of Basil II, this struck silver coin is devoid of any depiction of the ruler. The emperor is honored in the text, but the only image is of the Virgin and Child. The population of those who could read the text would have been much less than those who could recognize the image. This tells us that perhaps in this case, the propagation of religious thought was valued over the glorification of the ruler. Additionally, using an image of the Virgin and Child to represent the ruling class is a testament to the close tie between the imperial and the holy in the Middle Ages.

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Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum

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