Contorniate

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/contorniate

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary chronological range?Mid-4th century AD to mid-5th century AD, with some potential outliers
2. What are contorniates?Contorniates are big, thick bronze discs from the 4th and 5th centuries AD. They are larger than normal coins and have detailed pictures on them.
3. Why might contorniates have been given as gifts?Because they are heavy and richly decorated, scholars think they were special medals or souvenirs given at important public events or imperial celebrations.

Numismatics: The study or collection of coins, paper money, and medals.
Iconography: The visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these.
Syncretism: The merging of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.
Provenance: The place of origin or the history of ownership of an artifact or work of art.