Coin of Maurice Tiberius c. 595 - 596

This bronze coin, weighing just over 10 grams, was struck during the reign of Maurice Tiberius, a Byzantine Emperor who ruled from 582 to 602 AD. Coins like this one weren't just money. They were also potent symbols of power. The very material – bronze – speaks to the authority of the empire, capable of extracting resources and organizing labor on a vast scale. Molten metal was poured or hammered into a die engraved with the Emperor’s image, thus each coin bears the imprint of imperial might. The portrait of Maurice Tiberius on one side, and the prominent "M" value mark on the other, visually reinforced the Emperor's control over both the image and economic activity. These coins also had a crucial social function. Think of them as early forms of mass media. They put the ruler’s face in everyone’s hands. Looking closely at this coin reminds us that even the smallest, most functional objects can be rich with meaning.