Coin of Constans II c. 659 - 660

Curator: The object before us is a coin, dating from the reign of Constans II. It offers such a powerful window onto the political landscape of its time. Editor: It's so small, yet I find its pitted surface and weathered bronze speak volumes of endurance and survival. What figures are represented? Curator: The coin depicts Constans, likely conveying power through carefully selected symbols. The imagery was critical for projecting authority and communicating imperial ideals, especially in a fractured empire. Editor: Absolutely, and seeing the figures worn by time, almost ghostlike, underscores how symbols shift and accrue meanings across centuries. They evoke echoes of past power. Curator: Precisely, considering Byzantium's socio-political struggles, this object offers a potent reminder of the constant negotiation and reinvention of imperial power. Editor: Its very existence, having travelled through so many hands, reinforces how deeply connected we are to those histories.