Skip to main content
Philippicus Gold Solidus, obverse

Move the cursor over the object to inspect fine details

Byzantine

Philippicus Gold Solidus

Philippicus · Twenty Years’ Anarchy

Philippicus’s brief reign survives in a confident facing portrait and cross potent, official permanence asserted by a ruler who held power for less than two years.

Visitor appreciation

— / 5Be the first to vote

Select a star to add your anonymous rating.

Object number
AG-039
Date
AD 711–713
Denomination
AV Solidus
Material
Gold
Weight
4.45 g
Grade
MS · Strike 4/5 · Surface 4/5
Certification
NGC Ancients

Record completeness

Evidence, made visible

  • Object identityDocumented
  • Physical recordPartly documented
  • AttributionPartly documented
  • Legends & imageryNot recorded
  • ProvenanceNot recorded

The Story Behind the Strike

Philippicus Bardanes ruled from 711 to 713 during the instability that followed Justinian II. His religious policy reopened controversy over the nature of Christ and contributed to his political isolation. None of that uncertainty is visible in the disciplined language of the solidus. The emperor faces the viewer with crown and imperial dress; the reverse cross rises on steps in the familiar form of sacred authority. This contrast is central to the object’s historical value. Coinage turned a fragile regime into an image of continuity, showing how governments used gold to claim order even when the throne itself was insecure.