Coin of Justinian I c. 539 - 540

Curator: Looking at this Coin of Justinian I, I'm struck by how something so small, just over 22 grams, could carry so much weight in its time. It resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The patina! It speaks of time, power, and the mundane mingling in a way only history's leftovers can manage. The material whispers of empires. Curator: Precisely. It's not just an object; it's a symbol, a promise of stability stamped onto metal. I wonder who held it last, what hopes they pinned on it. Editor: And how that promise played out in their lives. Did it bring them closer to Justinian’s vision, or did it remain a cold comfort amidst systemic inequalities? The coin, then, becomes a point of departure for considering power dynamics. Curator: It’s amazing, isn’t it? A little thing, yet so full of stories. Editor: A little thing, yes, reflecting a world of immense and brutal forces.