Two Gold Solidus of Justinian I set as ruby and diamond Earrings, Byzantine Empire, Justinian era, 542-552 C.E.

In ancient times, coins linked an emperor to his people. He paid the army with coins, collected taxes in coins, and was responsible for ensuring their weight and purity. The coins of early Byzantine emperors expressed imperial ideals through their inscriptions and imagery. In 539, Justinian was the first Byzantine emperor to adopt a fully frontal portrait, which established the standard imperial pose for the remainder of Byzantine history. Here, these two pure gold solidus, issued around 542 in Constantinople, show a pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust of Justinian I facing, wearing pendilia, with globus cruciger in right hand, shield decorated with horseman motif in left. The coins have been modern set as earrings in 14K yellow gold and feature round ruby cabochons surmouted by round brilliant cut diamonds.

The nearly forty-year reign of Emperor Justinian I (born 482; reign 527–65), known in Byzantine times as Justinian the Great, heralded extensive territorial expansion and military success, along with a new synthesis of Greco-Roman and Christian culture seen at all levels of Byzantine culture. Justinian’s rise to imperial power began in 527 with his appointment as co-emperor to Justin I, his uncle, who died later that same year. His sole rule was characterized by profound efforts to strengthen the empire and return the state to its former ancient glory. To this end, Justinian drew upon administrators and counselors from outside the aristocratic class. His own modest origins, along with his selection of these court members, contributed to lasting tensions with the Byzantine nobility. This situation was exacerbated by Justinian’s authoritarian approach to governance, and his pronouncement that the emperor’s will was law further undermined the authority of the city’s senate as well as its factions. 

Medium: 24K ruby and diamond, 14K yellow gold, 24K yellow gold

Dimensions: Length: 1" Width: 0.75" Stone dimensions: 2.48-2.78 in diameter (mm)

Condition:  Intact and in very good condition overall.

Provenance:  Private West Coast collection.