Coin of Justin II c. 572 - 573

Curator: This is a coin of Justin II, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums, weighing about 13.88 grams. It's a fascinating object. Editor: You know, just at a glance, it feels like looking into a forgotten world, a past barely hanging on. Curator: Absolutely. It's more than mere currency; it's a statement of power, a propaganda piece distributed far and wide. Imagine the control this object asserted. Editor: And yet, time and touch have softened it. It looks like a smudge of history, doesn’t it? The lines are blurred, the edges worn, the whole thing somehow both imposing and fragile. Curator: A great paradox. It mirrors the very empire it represented, striving for immortality yet ultimately subject to the ravages of history. Editor: Well, it certainly makes you think about what we leave behind. What fragments of our time will whisper stories to future eyes? Curator: Indeed, a potent reminder of the cyclical nature of power and legacy. Editor: It leaves you feeling both insignificant and intensely connected to something much bigger.