Tetarteron of Alexios III c. 14th century

Curator: Here we have a "Tetarteron of Alexios III" from the Harvard Art Museums, a small coin weighing only 1.71 grams. Editor: It looks timeworn and almost ghostly, like a fragment of a dream. The figures are quite stylized. Curator: Indeed. These coins weren't just currency; they were tools of imperial propaganda. Alexios III, ruling from 1195 to 1203, would have wanted his image and authority widely distributed. Editor: Given its age and purpose, what symbols would have been important? I see a figure that seems divine and another, presumably Alexios, in supplication? Curator: Precisely. The imagery encodes power dynamics. Christ's presence legitimizes Alexios' rule, grounding earthly power in divine authority, which was crucial for maintaining social order. Editor: It’s incredible to consider how this tiny object once held such significant cultural and political weight. Curator: Absolutely, it allows us to touch history and to connect with the Byzantine world in a very tangible way.