Coin 

Curator: Here we have a coin issued by the Byzantine Empire, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. What's your initial take on this relic? Editor: It feels like touching history, you know? This small, worn disc carries echoes of bustling markets, imperial decrees... it's strangely intimate. Curator: Indeed. Coins served not only as currency but also as propaganda tools, disseminating imperial imagery and messages across the realm. Editor: So this is an emperor's selfie, basically. I wonder what he would have thought about that. The wear and tear make it feel more real, less idealized. Curator: Absolutely. The circulation of such coins facilitated the centralization of power, visually uniting disparate regions under Byzantine rule. Editor: It's funny how an object so seemingly insignificant can be such a cultural touchstone. It is an amazing and important piece of work. Curator: A tangible link to the vast networks of trade, politics, and belief that defined an era.