Dodecanummium of Herakleios, Alexandria 632 - 641

Editor: This is a Dodecanummium of Herakleios, from Alexandria, created by Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyad dynasty. It's a small, worn coin, and the imagery is quite difficult to discern, but it evokes a strong sense of history and trade. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This coin whispers of cultural fusion. Notice how the Umayyads, a rising Islamic power, adopted Byzantine coin imagery. This wasn't merely mimicry; it was a calculated act, embedding their authority within a visual language familiar to the conquered populace. The standing figures, though eroded, likely echo imperial power, but subtly transformed, perhaps hinting at a shift in ideological dominance. What continuities do you observe? Editor: I see the echoes of Roman imperial portraiture, but simplified. It feels like a memory of power, not necessarily the real thing. Curator: Precisely! And that memory is potent. The coin becomes a site where past empires haunt the present, shaping how new power is perceived and accepted. The symbolic weight of these images travels through time, informing cultural understanding. Editor: I hadn’t considered how much the act of adapting imagery could itself be a statement of power. Thanks!