City Commemorative Issue, Cyzicus 331 - 334

Curator: This is a "City Commemorative Issue" coin from Cyzicus, crafted under Constantine I. It's currently held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Immediately, the coin's worn texture and muted tones evoke a sense of temporal distance, a tangible link to antiquity. Curator: The coin served as powerful propaganda, reminding the populace of the emperor's presence and the empire's might. Such objects speak to the intersection of power, representation, and identity. Editor: Notice the crisp profile portrait, sharply defined against the circular field, and balanced by the figure on the reverse, creating a pleasing visual harmony. Curator: Consider how wealth inequality would affect access to such depictions of power; this isn’t just art, it's a status symbol in a deeply stratified society. Editor: Indeed, but viewed purely formally, the artist has used line and form to create a miniature masterpiece. Curator: The coin opens a window onto a complex world of social structures and political maneuvering. Editor: A fascinating artifact, nonetheless, from an artistic perspective.