Ancients: Justinian II, First Reign (AD 685-695). AV solidus (20mm, 4.43 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 4/5 - 3/5, marks....

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Ex R. Bement Jr. Collection 1999

Justinian II, First Reign (AD 685-695). AV solidus (20mm, 4.43 gm, 6h). NGC Choice AU 4/5 - 3/5, marks. Constantinople, 4th officina, AD 692-695. IhS CRIStDS RЄX-RЄϚNANtIЧM, half-length bust of Christ facing, with long hair and full beard, wearing pallium and colobium, cross behind head, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels cradled in left arm / D IЧStINI-AN-ЧS SERЧ CHRIStI Δ, full-length figure of Justinian II standing facing, wearing crown and loros, cross potent with base on two steps in right hand, akakia in left; CONO-P below. Sear 1248. DOC 2, Part 2, 7g.1. MIB 8. An interestingly contemplative portrait of Christ with deep-set eyes.

From the Historical Scholar Collection. Ex Edward Waddell (14 May 2003), lot 8; R. Bement Jr. Collection (Classical Numismatic Group, Auction 51, 15 September 1999), lot 1650

The portrait of Christ on the obverse of this solidus is the first numismatic representation of Jesus and immediately followed the ruling of the Trullan Synod of AD 692 that Christ could be depicted in human form. Justinian II was ostentatiously devout and placing the divine image on his coinage was a reflection of this. The image is remarkably naturalistic and lifelike, and was likely based on the mosaic image of Christ in the apse of the Great Palace of Constantinople, which was itself influenced by Hellenistic depictions of Zeus. Some scholars have argued that Justinian's choice to produce this new type came in response to the Umayyad caliph 'Abd al-Malik's minting of Byzantine-style solidi bearing the Islamic statement of faith (the shahada) in AD 692, which he used in payment of tribute to the Emperor prior to the decisive Umayyad victory at the Battle of Sebastopolis later that year.

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