Follis of Herakleios, Constantinople 615 - 624

Curator: Here we have a Follis of Herakleios, Constantinople. It was created by Abd-al-Malik, of the Umayyads. Editor: It feels ancient, doesn't it? The patinated copper whispers of a world long gone. Almost primal, earthy. Curator: Absolutely. And consider this: it's not merely a relic but a product of Byzantine craftsmanship, reworked under Umayyad rule. A testament to shifting power. Editor: It's all about labor, isn't it? The physical act of striking this coin, the economies it fueled… it's tangible history. Curator: For me, it's the faces of history that speak through the wear and tear of this coin. To imagine its journey, who might have held it... Editor: Yes, and those very hands, driven by political and material forces, shaped this small object we're contemplating today. Curator: Ultimately, it's a tiny portal connecting us to the past, a reminder of fleeting reigns. Editor: Precisely, a constant dialogue between production, power, and our own understanding of value.