Anonymous Follis c. 1042 - 1050

Curator: Here we have an anonymous follis at the Harvard Art Museums. I find that the worn details of this coin, weighing only 7.8 grams, speak volumes about the Byzantine Empire's complex history and the power of images. Editor: It feels like holding a piece of time itself. There's something about the eroded figure on the coin that evokes a sense of mystery and reverence. Curator: Its imagery, the cross and the figure of Christ, served to legitimize the emperor's rule and reinforce Christian values. Editor: It's amazing how such a small object could carry so much symbolic weight. Imagine all the hands it passed through, the stories it could tell! Curator: Indeed. Its existence tells us about trade networks and economic systems, and reminds us how these little objects shaped society. Editor: Right, it shifts my perspective, that’s for sure.