Around 692
Byzantine gold coins were minted with the face of God, not the emperor.
A declaration that their rule was protected by God.
Coins that depict faces, coins that speak with text
We compare Byzantine and Islamic coinage and consider the relationship between design and faith.
Time to read the text: about 6 min
The review questions are optional and not included in this time.
What you can read: the course opening and contents are free; the full text is for those who have purchased
After purchase, you can read the full text once your access starts.
Money with Faces and Money with Words in 3 Minutes
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696
In contrast, the Islamic caliph removed faces and minted coins with only words.
Because it was wrong to engrave God's face on metal.
Both made sense within their respective faiths.
There was no winner or loser, and both styles continued for over 1000 years.
1566
The conflict over 'Is it okay to depict God?' was repeated, even internally.
Statues in churches were torn down.
8th century
Even during the conflict, kings copied the design of their rival's gold coins.
Because that coin's design was trusted in trade.
2nd century BC
In India, Greek and Indian scripts appeared together on a single coin.
Not a confrontation, but coexisting on the same coin.
Today, Euro banknotes have no faces. Smartphone payments are just letters and numbers.
The confrontation hasn't ended, it's just gotten quiet.
2In numbers
1000Over ... years
How long both coin styles—with faces and with words—survived.
3What would you do?
You are the king of a new country. The most trusted gold coin has the script of your enemy. What design will you choose for your own coins?
Pick one
Copy the enemy's script.
In the 8th century, King Offa of Mercia copied the Arabic script, which he couldn't read, and inserted his own name. Money doesn't wait for religious differences.
Create a design unique to my country.
According to your beliefs, that makes sense. But in reality, gold with a trusted design was highly valued in trade, and many kings copied their enemy's style.
The front lines of faith and the front lines of commerce draw different maps. Money stood on both.
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What you will understand after this course
- Can explain the "theological debate on coinage" of 692–696, including the logic of both sides.
- Can state the path by which Iconoclasm affected coin design.
- Can position the "borrowing" of an enemy's iconography and script as a derivative of confrontation.
More about this course
Course number: C05
Supervised by: Mitsuru Hayama
Beyond the text: 5 exercises · 2 coins · 5 readings How reading times are calculated
You will also understand
- Can discuss the modern forms of iconographic confrontation (faceless currency, text-only payments).
You can start this course without reading any other course.
Also worth reading, to see the connections (optional)
- Deciphering the Images and Text on Coins
What you learn: Looking at both faces of a coin, you can point to what lies in each part.
The text refers to this course in section 4.
If you want to know more about checking sources (optional)
- Is It Really True? Checking History
We re-examine the origins of money and famous anecdotes, comparing them with historical records and actual artifacts.
Assessment
5 exercises in this course (4 check, 1 compare, 0 written). Progress is recorded by self-assessment.
The 6 chapters of this course
- The Emperor Who Engraved the Face of God — 692God, not the emperor, appeared on the coinage. It was a declaration of faith and the beginning of a fierce controversy.
- The Caliph Who Responded with Writing — 696Erase the face, leave only the words. The opposite answer was an equally consistent expression of an opposite faith.
- An Internal Backlash — The Lineage of IconoclasmThe confrontation continued not only between empires but also within each one. Eight hundred years later, a storm swept through the Low Countries.
- Copying the Enemy's Answer — A Twist in the ConfrontationEven in the midst of confrontation, kings copied the enemy's style. Aspiration moves faster than doctrine.
- Hybrid Coinage — Physical Evidence of an EncounterA Buddhist king with a Greek face. On the periphery of confrontation, two civilizations coexisted on a single coin.
- The Confrontation Today — In an Age Without FacesThe Euro chose fictional bridges, payment apps chose only letters and numbers. The confrontation is not over; it has just grown quiet.
Readings (5)
- The Face of God Overview: the world Byzantium AD 685–695
Section 1. The moment a god was struck on a coin, and the controversy it caused. - Damascus Overview: the world Byzantium AD 696–697
Section 2. A completely opposite answer. The other party in the confrontation. - The eve Netherlands August 1566 Western Flanders, a church
Section 3. The use of force 800 years later. The question is not settled. - Offa's penny Britain the later 8th century The far trade routes out of Mercia
Section 4. A twist in the confrontation. A king's physical evidence copying the enemy's style. - Hellenism Overview: the world 155 BC Menander's India
Section 5. A coin from the periphery that chose coexistence over confrontation.
Read next
The History of Coin Collecting →What you learn next: Can explain the three types of collecting motives (display, hoarding, and study) with concrete examples.
Time to read the text: about 6 min ／ What you can read: the course opening and contents are free; the full text is for those who have purchased
Price
After purchase, the full courses, the illustrated books, every country’s story and the numismatics examination are open to you.
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