Art And Architecture 355
Related to these monumental images is the appearance of royal portraits on
coins issued by the Ostrogoths. Theoderic did not put his own likeness on the
coins he issued in the name of the emperors under whom he ruled, but does
appear on the singular gold Senigallia Medallion (Figure 14.4).13 The obverse
depicts a frontal bust portrait of the king depicted with long hair and a mous-
tache, wearing a breastplate and raising his right hand in salutation while
holding a Victoriola in his left. It was apparently struck early in his reign. It
was Theodahad who first issued coins with his image, showing him in profile
wearing a helmet and sometimes a pectoral cross (Figure 14.5). The introduc-
tion of his image on his coins is noted in a letter of Cassiodorus, in which it is
noted that the practice ensures that “our age is remembered in future centu-
ries” and suggests to the populace that their sovereign is concerned about their
13 Metlach, Coinage, pp. 15–16; Arnold, “Mustache”.
FIGURE 14.3 Ivory portraits of Athalaric and Amalasuentha, upper leafs of the Diptych of
Orestes (consul 530)
Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Photo by Mark Johnson