Coin of Justinian I c. 540 - 541

Editor: So, this is a Coin of Justinian I. It's small, obviously, and worn. It has this solemn face on one side, but it's been holed! How do we interpret something like this? Curator: Well, imagine holding power in your hand, quite literally. Justinian's face, then repurposed, perhaps revered, perhaps just useful. It's like a song, isn't it, once intended for one purpose then adopted for another, its meaning twisting, deepening with each new voice. Editor: That's beautiful. Almost melancholy. Curator: Yes, a tiny echo of an empire's ambition, made intimate through touch and time. What stories could it tell? Editor: And what stories did it become. Thanks!