Abstract

The text discusses Giulio Fanti’s book Byzantine Coins Influenced by the Shroud of Christ, which analyzes depictions of Christ Pantokrator on Byzantine coins in comparison with the image on the Shroud of Turin. The author advances the thesis that coins minted between 692 and 1204 were inspired by the Shroud, which was allegedly kept in Constantinople at that time. The publication includes detailed numismatic, iconographic, and scientific analyses, rich illustrative material, and statistical data. The review appreciates the book’s interdisciplinary approach, thoroughness, and visual value, but also points out significant shortcomings, particularly the insufficient treatment of theology, the canon of Byzantine art, and the limited use of icons and other works of art. Despite these reservations, the book is valuable and worth reading, as it offers a new perspective on Byzantine coins not only as portraits of emperors but also as carriers of the image of Christ.