Description:
This 10th century Byzantine gold coin, features Jesus Christ Pantokrator “Christ in Majesty.” Jesus is shown enthroned, wearing a chilton, while raising his right hand in benediction and holding the Book of Gospels in his left hand. The Latin inscription IҺS XPS RЄX RЄGNANTIЧM translates to "Jesus Christ King of Kings." The reverse shows the crowned emperor Romanus I and his eldest son and co-emperor Christopher, jointly holding a patriarchal cross between them.
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople, "New Rome" and ruled by Emperors in direct succession to the ancient Roman Emperors. With the eventual decline of Rome, the Church of Constantinople became the richest and most influential center of the Christian world. Art of the Byzantine Empire was mainly devoted to the Christian faith, which flourished in the Middle Ages under their protection.
This coin was minted during the rule of Romanus I, who was the Byzantine emperor of Armenian origin from 919 to 944. As a young soldier, he rescued Emperor Basil I from the enemy in a battle at Tephrike and was rewarded by a place in the Imperial Guard. Romanus eventually moved up in ranks and was crowned emperor in 919. In subsequent years, Romanos crowned his own sons co-emperors, Christopher in 921, Stephen and Constantine VII in 924. The reign of Romanus was mostly successful, however in 944 he was exiled and Constantine VII became emperor.
