Large Follis of Anastasios I, Constantinople c. 498 - 518

Curator: This is a Large Follis, a coin minted in Constantinople during the reign of Emperor Anastasios I. Note the weight, a substantial 16.07 grams of bronze. Editor: It feels ancient, doesn't it? Like holding a tiny, worn-out world in your hand. You can almost smell the marketplace. Curator: Absolutely. The material itself—bronze—speaks volumes about the Byzantine economy and the importance of coinage for imperial control and trade. Editor: And the wear and tear! Each scratch tells a story of transactions, journeys, and hands it passed through. I wonder what dramas it witnessed. Curator: It is a direct link to the labor of the minters, the markets where it circulated, and the very foundations of the Byzantine state's monetary system. Editor: A tangible piece of history, pressed between thumb and forefinger. Makes you think about the stories hidden in everyday objects. Curator: Indeed, a study of its production offers insights into social and economic structures. Editor: It's like a fossil of a moment in time.