Coin of Isaac II 12th-13th century

Curator: Up next, we have a "Coin of Isaac II." Seems like it has traveled through time to get here. I get this immediate, almost weighty feeling, as though holding history itself. Editor: Absolutely. Coins, you know, they're not just currency; they're little propaganda machines. And this one, probably dating back to the late 12th century, would have been handled by countless people. What a tactile link to Byzantium! Curator: It's funny to think that even then, the ruler, Isaac II, wanted his face, or at least his authority, circulating everywhere. A tiny but mighty assertion of power, literally in the palm of your hand. Editor: And the symbolic language! Even worn down, we can still see traces of the imperial imagery. Each element loaded with meaning, reinforcing his legitimacy, whether through divine blessing or martial strength. Curator: It makes you wonder about all the stories it could tell, from the markets of Constantinople to some forgotten corner of the Byzantine Empire. Editor: Exactly. Coins as tiny time capsules.