A quantitative approach to the ›Christianisation‹ of late Roman and early Byzantine coinage (306–711 AD)

Abstract

This article quantitatively analyses the ›Christianisation‹ of the imperial numismatic iconography from the first Christian symbols on the coins of Constantine I until the introduction of Christ on the gold obverses of Justinian II. Although coins were a prime medium for the communication of imperial messages, the ›Christianisation‹ of these messages on late Roman and early Byzantine coins has never been considered from a quantitative perspective A quantitative analysis of the emergence of Christian symbols on coins indicates when the coinage of the late Roman and early Byzantine emperors ›Christianised‹ and simultaneously signifies the usefulness of a quantitative approach to this monetary medium.