Coin of Justin II c. 567 - 568

Curator: This is a fascinating artifact, a Coin of Justin II, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It appears timeworn, a sort of verdigris patina lending it an air of solemn antiquity, yet the designs still possess a tangible geometry. Curator: Coins like this served not just as currency but as potent symbols of imperial authority and Byzantine identity. Editor: Indeed, the formal rendering of the emperor's visage on one side, juxtaposed with the Christian symbol on the other, creates a striking dialectic. Curator: It speaks volumes about the intertwined nature of the Byzantine state and the church during Justin II's reign. Currency was carefully regulated and used to spread a very specific message. Editor: Looking at it, I'm compelled by its tactile quality, even in its current fragmented state, offering a material connection to a distant era. Curator: Precisely, a touchstone to understand the political and cultural landscape of its era. Editor: Yes, a reminder of the tangible nature of even the most abstract powers.