Coin of Justinian I c. 527 - 538

Curator: Here we see a coin of Justinian I, an artifact weighing a mere 4.68 grams housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks almost ghostly, like a forgotten fragment pulled from the earth itself. The surface is worn smooth with age. Curator: Indeed. As a historical artifact, it is a powerful symbol of the emperor’s authority and the Byzantine Empire's economic system. The image on the coin, though faded, would have been instantly recognizable. Editor: But what did that authority mean for the everyday person? For those marginalized by the empire’s power structures? Was this coin a symbol of prosperity or oppression? Curator: Coins like these helped to facilitate trade and project imperial power throughout the realm. They literally put Justinian's face in the hands of his subjects. Editor: It also put the economic power into the hands of those same subjects. An instrument to be used to support themselves, or to resist if need be. Curator: It's fascinating how such a small object can open up such expansive questions about power, identity, and daily life. Editor: Yes, it reminds us that every artifact carries within it multiple, sometimes conflicting, narratives.