Follis of Diocletian, Cyzicus 297 - 299

Editor: This is a Follis of Diocletian, from Cyzicus. The patina gives it a somber tone. What stands out to you about the composition? Curator: The formal elements speak volumes. Consider the incuse portrait versus the relief of the standing figure; the contrast establishes a dialogue between the ruler’s authority and the idealized virtue he claims to embody. Editor: That's interesting! Curator: Note also the circular composition: it directs the eye, containing the narrative within a defined space. This structural device reinforces the coin's function as a self-contained declaration of imperial power. Editor: I never considered the shape itself as part of the message. Curator: Exactly. It's in the interplay of these formal choices that we can decode the coin's intended meaning. Editor: Thanks, I’ll look at art differently now. Curator: Indeed, seeing is understanding.