Coin of Phokas c. 608 - 609

Curator: This is a "Coin of Phokas" currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. The piece weighs 10.5 grams. Editor: It's striking how worn it is, almost dissolving back into the earth. The texture, that patina—it speaks of immense age. Curator: Absolutely, and the image of Phokas himself, though faded, offers a glimpse into the Byzantine power structures and the visual language of authority. The coin circulated during a tumultuous time. Editor: Yes, and consider the semiotic weight of these images, the deliberate choice of representation intended to convey legitimacy and power. Curator: Right, it's not just about economic exchange, but also about projecting an image of imperial control and, for many, a symbol of oppression under Phokas's reign. Editor: I see a certain beauty in its decay, the way the forms are softened, suggesting the passage of time itself. Curator: Indeed, this object allows a rare tangible link to lives lived, empires won and lost, and power's shifting sands. Editor: A small object, yet vast in its implications and visual impact.