Follis of Phokas, Antioch on the Orontes 605 - 606

Curator: This is a Follis of Phokas, minted in Antioch on the Orontes. Editor: It's a coin! It looks extremely worn, almost as if the metal itself is exhausted. Curator: Well, these coins served as both currency and propaganda. The imagery, likely depicting Phokas himself, served to legitimize his rule and project power. Editor: To think about its circulation—the hands that handled this, the transactions it witnessed. What does this well-worn state reveal about the economy and Phokas' reign? Curator: Indeed. The wear speaks volumes about the coin's economic life but also the ruler's legacy, doesn't it? The very materiality tells stories beyond the official narrative. Editor: I suppose it does. Curator: It makes you consider the cost of things.