Item number: A1146

Year: AD 829-849

Material: Gold

Size: 25.3 x 24.6 x 0.4 mm

Weight: 4.15 g

Manufactured by: Constantinople Mint

Provenance: Künker 2024

This is a solidus gold coin minted in Constantinople during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Theophilos, between AD 829-849. The obverse features a central depiction of the emperor himself, holding a cross sceptre and wearing a cross-topped crown. The hanging ornaments on either side of the crown, known as “pendilia,” are characteristic of Byzantine style and influenced the design of crowns in the Visigothic and Hungarian kingdoms. The emperor is dressed in the “loros”, the most formal garment in Byzantine attire, distinguished by its elaborate embroidery and bands, reserved exclusively for the imperial family. The outer inscription in Greek, “ΘεOFILOC,” represents the emperor’s name. On the reverse, the central figure is again the emperor, but this time dressed in the official’s ceremonial cloak, the “chlamys”. The inscription remains the emperor’s name.

Theophilos continued the religious policy of his father, Michael II, by advancing the second phase of the Iconoclasm movement, opposing the veneration of icons, saints, and holy relics, and persecuting those who supported their use. In contrast to Byzantine coinage prior to the 8th century, angels no longer appeared on the coins.

In terms of foreign policy, the eastern borders of the Byzantine Empire faced increasing incursions from the rising Abbasid Caliphate. Although Emperor Theophilos personally led several military campaigns against them, his efforts were largely unsuccessful. Abbasid forces even advanced into central Anatolia, threatening key towns. This pressure forced the empire to negotiate a treaty with the caliphate and to strengthen the defences of Constantinople to prevent further invasions.

物件編號: A1146

年代: 公元 829-849 年

材質: 金

尺寸: 25.3 x 24.6 x 0.4 mm

重量: 4.15 g

製造地: 君士坦丁堡造幣廠

來源: 昆克 2024

這是一枚公元829至849年，拜占庭帝國皇帝狄奧斐盧斯時期於君士坦丁堡鑄造的索利都斯金幣。正面中央為皇帝本人手持十字權杖，頭戴十字架皇冠的肖像。皇冠左右兩側的垂掛裝飾物「pendilia」為拜占庭風格，也影響了西哥德王國及匈牙利王國的王冠設計。其身穿的禮服「loros」為拜占庭服飾中最正式的服裝，其精緻的繡花與衣帶僅作為皇室專用。外圈的希臘銘文「ΘεOFILOC」則是皇帝的名字。反面中央仍是皇帝肖像，只是衣著改為高級官員的扇貝斗篷「chlamys」，銘文仍是皇帝的名字。

狄奧斐盧斯延續其父米海爾二世的宗教政策，進行聖像破壞運動的第二階段，反對聖人及聖物圖像的崇拜，並迫害支持聖像者。與公元八世紀以前的拜占庭錢幣相比，天使不再出現在錢幣上。

對外政策上，帝國東部邊境受到阿拉伯帝國新興的阿拔斯王朝侵擾，皇帝本人雖多次率兵應戰但效果不佳，哈里發的軍隊甚至進攻安納托力亞中部的城鎮，迫使帝國與其簽訂條約並加強君士坦丁堡的防禦以避免入侵。