As a high school senior, I have to prepare my senior thesis and my history professor (I chose history as a subject) told me that he allows me to choose any topic that interests me, but it must be related to my hobby of collecting novels and coins :) So when I thought about it, I realized that the topic of early Christian coins is the most related to my collection! So, I'd love to hear from the bigger experts (and I'm sure there are many here!) to suggest good quality sources! Also, if you have ideas for any other thesis topic, feel free to suggest.
Now coins are officially struck and issued by official authorities (states, provinces with sanction of the state, sometimes usurpers who claim legitimacy, etc.). So, there is probably no such thing as “Christian coins” until Constantine I (306-337) made Christianity the Roman state religion. From this point on, there are some Christian symbols showing up on the reverse such as the “chi-rho” symbol (though this one seems to appear only later than Constantine, for example on this coin of Magnentius).
What is interesting is that there was no abrupt start of Christian symbols corresponding to an abrupt end of the traditional representation of the “pagan” gods and symbols. No. This was progressive, and even Constantine only converted on his death bed, in the belief that he would be OK when facing his God since the massacres he had performed previously, including in his last year to eliminate rivals, happened before his conversion. The belief was that one's sins before their conversion didn't count…
Most Christians, too, were generally polytheists. They had no problem with traditional “pagan” festivals and gods even if they also accepted Christianity.
So, a topic for which there is much evidence is how Christian symbols evolved on coins under Constantine and later. Another possible topic to consider is the short reign of Julian “the Apostate” in the early 360s. He was a successor from the house of Constantine who rejected Christianity. I don't know, however, whether this is interesting from the numismatic point of view.
From this point on, there are some Christian symbols showing up on the reverse such as the “chi-rho” symbol (though this one seems to appear only later than Constantine, for example on this coin of Magnentius).
There are a few Constantine I coins with chi-rho on Wildwinds, like this one: N#169904 . By the way, the coin on the photo is the one I have.
Other thing, I also have this early Byzantine coin, N#142661 .
I've read (forgot where) that it was the last type of Byzantine coin issued with a pagan deity depicted.
In my opinion, I would choose the path of the history of holy Christian figures on coins - this is a real confirmation of their lives and deeds.
The blank here is to find which saint was first depicted on a coin and gradually add more and more as Christianity ages throughout history.
,,n Example: I recently mentioned here how Saint Marin had to escape from the Adriatic in a small boat and swim across the Adriatic to Rimina, where he worked as a stonemason. He had to run away because of his sexual orientation, for which he was bullied on Rab,,
If you want to do something interesting, I would suggest you look at Arabic coins that have Christian elements. This includes the coins from the Crusades, Georgia, Armenia as well as Persia and Syria. This was due to the mixture of cultures as the Islamic Caliphate and the Mongols took over traditional Christian realms. Some really good stuff out there in comparison to the numerous Roman/Byzantine type coins. For instance:
Georgian-Hulaguid: Demetre II/Arghun (1284–1291) AR dirham (Album 2151.2)
Obv: Uyghur legend in four lines - ᠬᠠᠭᠨᠤ ᠨᠡᠷᠪᠡᠷ ᠠᠷᠭᠤᠨ ᠪ ᠳᠡᠯᠠᠳᠭᠡᠭᠦᠠᠯᠦᠤ ᠰᠡᠨ (Struck in the name of Khaqan Arghun-u); Arabic legend below - ارغون (Arghun); Small cross above ᠪ in ᠠᠷᠭᠤᠨ ᠪ (Arghun-u) Rev: Within square, Arabic legend in four lines - بسم الاب و الابن و روح القدس اله واحد (In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Sprit - One God); Cross in lower part, date formula around Dim:21 mm, 2.40g
Or talk about the Christian Kingdom of Axum in Africa!
Aksumite Empire: Armah (ca. 630-650) Æ Unit (Hahn, Aksumite 72a; Munro-Hay Type 153; BMC Axum 577)
Obv: ነገሠ አረመሐ (neguš ’ArmaH; King Armah); Crowned and draped full-length figure of Armah, wearing beaded necklace, enthroned right, holding cruciform scepter Rev: ፈሠሐ ለየከነ ለአሐዘበ (feššeHá la-yekun la-’aHzáb; Let there be joy to the people); Openwork cross with central gilding connected to ring by stem; wheat stalks emerging from ring
or the Northern Crusades, which almost no one talks about:
Livonia, Riga: Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire (1561-1581) BI Shilling (Fyodorov-615)
