Copper Assarion Class 3 of Andronikos III, Constantinople c. 1328 - 1341

Curator: Here we have a Copper Assarion Class 3 of Andronikos III from Constantinople, now held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by its eroded surfaces and the sense of condensed history—a tangible fragment of a distant era. Curator: Indeed. As a Byzantine coin, this object reveals a great deal about the empire’s iconography, blending religious and imperial symbolism to convey power and divine right. Editor: The patinated copper speaks volumes; the rough texture and the muted tones create a kind of austere beauty. It's a semiotic object, each scratch and indentation telling tales of circulation, trade, and cultural exchange. Curator: Absolutely. And beyond economic exchange, these coins were potent visual messages; Andronikos III carefully curated his image through these mass-produced objects. Editor: Looking at the material and composition, I imagine how its small scale allowed it to be carried through various hands, acting as a symbol of imperial power, wherever it traveled. Curator: A potent, portable emblem, laden with meaning. Editor: Exactly, it is fascinating to perceive its material presence and its impact.