Coin of Justin II and Sophia c. 576 - 577

Curator: This is a coin featuring Justin II and Sophia, now residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s surprisingly… solemn. The patinated bronze gives it this aged, almost mournful quality. Curator: Indeed. The coin, likely dating from the 6th century, presents a double portrait, emphasizing their joint rule of the Byzantine Empire. Editor: You can see how the die engraver sought to convey the regal bearing of the emperor and empress through the symmetry, posture and the hieratic style. Curator: I wonder what hands it passed through, what stories it could tell of emperors and empires, of daily commerce and faraway travels? It's a tangible link to a distant world. Editor: Precisely. It's a remarkable, miniature study in power, representation, and the enduring allure of material culture.