Coin of Herakleios c. 613 - 616

Editor: Here we have a gold coin of Herakleios, though attributed to Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyads. It’s interesting how such a small object can tell such a large story, but what kind of story is it? What do you see in this piece? Curator: This coin speaks volumes about power and adaptation. The Umayyads, early Islamic rulers, initially imitated Byzantine coinage, including Christian iconography, as a means of establishing their own legitimacy and participating in existing economic systems. It’s a deliberate act of claiming authority by adopting and adapting existing visual languages. Editor: So it's like they're saying, "We're in charge now, but we can still play by your rules"? Curator: Exactly. It highlights the complex interplay between conquest, cultural appropriation, and the construction of new political identities in the early Islamic world, reflecting the political landscape of the time. The museum context is vital to understanding it. Editor: It's fascinating to think about how a coin, something so small, could represent such a significant shift in power.