ABSTRACT
The Byzantine Empire was the first in the world that officially minted coins containing the image of Jesus Christ. The official period of the Byzantine Empire starts in 395 AD and ends in 1453 AD, it is, however, not easy to define a fixed date for the beginning of the Byzantine coinage, because there was a gradual development out of a Roman predecessor. An important and lasting monetary reform that remained unchanged for centuries during the Byzantine Empire was that of 309-310 introduced by the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. The Byzantine currency at the beginning consisted of many different coins from the gold solidus to the bronze nummi. Silver coins were rare in ancient Byzantine Empire. However, bronze coinage was very common in their currency system. The Byzantine coinage showing Jesus Christ continued for centuries after the sack of Constantinople.
