Pentanummium of Justin II, Constantinople 

Curator: What a compelling object—a Pentanummium of Justin II from Constantinople. The wear speaks volumes. Editor: Yes, the patinated surface and eroded details give it such a tangible presence. You can almost feel the weight of history, the touch of countless hands. Curator: Think of the labor involved—the mining and smelting of the metal, the crafting of the die, the striking of each individual coin. Editor: But also the careful arrangement of symbols and forms, the conscious effort to create a design that conveyed power and authority. See how the composition still communicates order even through the damage. Curator: Absolutely, and that design was then circulated as a tool of imperial power, a means to facilitate trade and maintain social order. Editor: It’s fascinating how something so small can contain so much. I find myself dwelling on the aesthetics even as it exists now. Curator: It’s a testament to how objects can embody both the material conditions of their production and the symbolic meanings of their time. Editor: A beautiful, if imperfect, convergence of form and function. I may have to adjust my perspective to include a little materiality. Curator: Perhaps understanding the coin’s materiality gives you a new lens to appreciate its formal qualities!