Coin of Justinian I c. 539 - 540

Curator: This object is a coin of Justinian I, currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It appears severely damaged, yet there’s a compelling weight to its aged, patinated surface. Curator: The coin’s materiality speaks volumes about the socio-economic structures of its time—currency production, the labor involved, and the flow of resources in the Byzantine empire. Editor: Look at the linear precision in the inscription and the representation of Justinian. The semiotic density conveys power and authority. Curator: Consider the societal implications of its creation. The coin circulated through markets, facilitating trade and sustaining imperial authority. Editor: Indeed, but the formal elements—the scale, the incised details—narrate an elegant visual language of dominance. A miniature but potent artifact. Curator: Thinking about the coin in its historical context allows us to explore the daily lives intertwined with such objects. Editor: Precisely, a close examination offers a fascinating microcosm to explore the aesthetics and power imbued in everyday Byzantine life.