Jehan Hillen
Short Biography
- 2017-2020 – Bachelor of History (Geschiedenis) at Radboud University, Nijmegen Thesis subject: Representations of an usurper: Heraclius and the Byzantine imperial iconography (supervisor Prof. Dr. Olivier Hekster).
- 2020-2022 – Research Master – Historical, Literary, and Cultural Studies (HLCS) – Historical track – Cum Laude - Thesis subject: The attributes of the emperor: a gradual transformation (378 - 711) (Supervisor Prof. Dr. Olivier Hekster & Prof. Dr. Panagiotis Iossif).
- Internship - Institute of Eastern Christianity (IVOC) – Investigating the conversion and reconversion of Byzantine churches in Thessaloniki (1430-1912).
- 2022 (April) – Training in Roman and Papal numismatics at the Dutch Institute in Rome during the ‘Faces of Power’ course.
- 2022 (Summer) – Student Assistant – Radboud University, Nijmegen - This project consisted of the building of a numismatic Open-Linked-Data database of early Italian (non-Roman) coinage (4th – 1st century BC) under the supervision of Dr. Marleen Termeer.
- 2022 (October) – Training in Numismatics at the Numismatische Herbstschule at the University of Münster.
- 2023-present – Freelance Numismatic Expert (RCE project bronze hoard Southern Netherlands) - This project concerns the identification categorisation, and interpretation a Dutch hoard find of over 5000 late Roman bronze coins found in the province of Limburg under the supervision of Dr. Liesbeth Claes.
Research interests
- Numismatics & Sigillography
- Roman and Byzantine imperial representation
- Roman and Byzantine imperial ideology
- Early Christianity
- City history of Constantinople
Publications
Articles
- J. Hillen, (2025). A quantitative approach to the ›Christianisation‹ of late Roman and early Byzantine coinage (306–711 AD). Online Zeitschrift Zur Antiken Numismatik, 7, 25–88. https://doi.org/10.17879/ozean-2025-8934 [peer-reviewed].
- J. Hillen, ‘Pawns in a literary game: Contemporary Interpretations of Late Roman and Byzantine Coin Types’, Numismatic International Bulletin 59:7/8 (2024) 1-16.
- J. Hillen, ‘Who is the audience, emperor? Targeting audiences on late Roman and early Byzantine coins’, Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology 10:2 (2023) 74-91. [peer-reviewed]
Dissemination
- Documentary coin hoard Buggenum [Dutch] - L1: De muntvondst van Buggenum - Link
- Limburg Museum – De muntvondst van Buggenum - Link
- J. Hillen, Ein Gebäude der Macht: Die komplexe Identität der Hagia Sophia, Eurasia-blog, Der Standard, 14-1-2026, Link
- J. Hillen, Herrscherdarstellungen in Zeiten des Krieges, Eurasia-Blog Der Standard, 9-4-2024, Link
- J. Hillen, S. Preiswerk, ‘A medal for Donato Bramante’, Things That Talk Story Link
Reviews
- J. Hillen: Rezension zu: Anna Flückiger/Jan Bemmann (eds.): Coining Values. Bronze between Money and Scrap in Late Roman and Early Medieval Europe. Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag 2025 (Limes und Legion 2). In: Plekos 27, 2025, S. 395–401 (Link)
- J. Hillen, ‘Recensie – Elena Boeck, The Bronze Horseman of Justinian: The Cross- Cultural Biography of a Mediterranean Monument’, Ex Tempore 1 (2022) 161- 163.
Lectures
- Een groot bronsdepot in Nederlands Limburg (with Dr. Liesbeth Claes) - Koninklijk Belgisch Genootschap voor Numismatiek – Brussel - 20-12-2025 [Invited].
- Waardeloze schat of waardevol afval? Twee Theodosiaanse muntvondsten uit Buggenum (with Martijn Bink) – 31e Romeinensymposium – Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam – 19-12-2025 [Invited].
- Presentatie muntvondst Buggenum (with Dr. Liesbeth Claes) – Limburg Museum – Venlo – 9-12-2025.
- What is he doing here? A Sasanian Shah on Byzantine Alexandrian bronzes – The Pahlavi Papyri in their Historical Context – Innsbruck – 26-11-2025 [Invited].
- A Rebellion from the Byzantine Borderland: Heraclius’ rebellion and the last Roman consuls - Imperial dynamics, borderlands and resistance: entangled worlds of afro-Eurasia (ca. 1000 BCE – 2000 CE) – Eurasia 2nd Annual Conference – Innsbruck – 18-11-2025.
- Numismatics: an introduction – Guest lecture in course: The Polis Awakens: Kolonisation und Polisbildung im antiken Griechenland – 10-11-2025.
- Imperial Spaces in Constantinople and Konstaniyye – Ideology and Practice – Third Space and Ancient World Studies – Innsbruck – 29-10-2025.
- Coin circulation in an imperial borderland: an analysis of coin circulation in the Caucasus using FLAME – ECFN 2025 – University College London – 5-9-2025.
- The imperial image in late antiquity – An interplay of tradition and innovation’ – Fourth Graduate Workshop Late Antique and Byzantine Studies – CEU Vienna – 28-2-2025.
- Een schat van kleingeld? Een bronsschat uit het zuiden van Nederland, Rotary Achterhoek-Oost – Lichtenvoorde – 17-2-2025.
- Een waardeloze schat van waarde. Een Theodosiaanse schatvondst uit het zuiden van Nederland, Numismatische Kring Oost Nederland (NKON) – Warnsveld – 10-2-2025.
- A valueless hoard of value. A Theodosian bronze hoard from the Southern Netherlands, Doktoratskolleg Entangled Antiquities – Innsbruck – 22-1-2025.
- Challenges and methodologies in the interpretation of Theodosian Hoards – European Coin Find Network 2024 in Teyler’s Museum, Haarlem - 7-11-2024.
- Ambigue en zeldzaam. De christelijke types van Constantijn - Numismatische Kring Oost Nederland (NKON) 08-01-2024.
- Who is the audience, emperor? Targeting audiences on late Roman and early Byzantine coins - Byzantine Studies Netherlands (BSN) 15-12-2023 [Invited].
- Voor welk publiek, keizer? ‘Audience targeting’ op laat-Romeinse en vroeg-Byzantijnse munten - Numismatische Kring Oost Nederland (NKON) 9-10-2023.
- Who is the audience, emperor? Targeting audiences on late Roman and early Byzantine coins - ‘’Non Aes Sed Fides’ Vertrauen in Geld von der Antike bis ins 20. Jahrhundert – 30-06-2023.
- Moving Away from Arianism: An Identitarian Reading of the Ostrogothic Monuments in Ravenna - UWICAH – 19-11-2021.
Chairs
- Chair Section 2 – Ancient History at Masaryk University (CZ) and the University of Innsbruck (AT) – Innsbruck – 25-9-2025
- Chair Section 1 - 1st Young EurAsia Researchers Network (JEARN) workshop - Innsbruck - 13-06-2025
Varia
- Stellvertretender Sprecher Entangled Antiquities 2025-2026
- Member of the Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor Munt- en Penningkunde (KNGMP)
- Member of the Numismatische Kring Oost Nederland (NKON)
- Research Member of Nomismata - Link
- 2021-2022 - Secretary & Treasurer – Ex Tempore – Radboud University, Nijmegen.
- 2020-2022 - Student-editor – Ex Tempore – Radboud University, Nijmegen.
Thesis
This research aims to analyse the transformations of imperial imagery in the period 306-711 AD, by focusing on surviving coins, statues, mosaics, seals, and other representational visual media. Imperial imagery continuously adapted to changing religious, cultural, political, and social conventions. This research studies that adaptation by analysing how Roman classical iconographic traditions and Christian (oriental) iconographic innovations shaped the late Roman and early Byzantine imperial image in the long term. A quantitative analysis of numismatic imagery between 306-711 AD will reveal how, when, and to what extent imperial numismatic self-representations were transformed. Imperial representations were an important way for Roman and Byzantine emperors to communicate their imperial ideology to different acceptance groups. By analysing the differences between trends in various forms of imperial representations and their intended audiences, this research could reveal to what extent imperial images were adjusted to their specific medium and their target audience. By considering imperial imagery over the long term this research will indicate the fluctuations, long-term breaks, and ‘radical’ changes in imperial iconography. Investigating these changes and the relations between the trends in various imperial representations reveals how the image of emperors gradually changed over time. Simultaneously, important moments of change could be connected with specific political, religious, or economic circumstances.