Follis of Constantine VII, Constantinople 914 - 919

Editor: Here we have a Follis of Constantine VII. The worn surface makes me think about the many hands it must have passed through. What symbols or meanings do you find embedded in this piece? Curator: Coins aren't just currency; they're concentrated emblems of power. The images, even worn as these are, were designed to project an aura of imperial authority and divine right. What figures do you see represented? Editor: It looks like two standing figures on one side, perhaps rulers? Curator: Precisely. The repetition of such imagery was a constant reinforcement of the emperor’s legitimacy, shaping not just economic but also psychological landscapes. Consider how this repetition solidified power in the Byzantine mindset. Editor: It’s incredible how something so small could carry such weight, literally and figuratively. Curator: Indeed. Each detail invites us to consider the cultural memory encoded within it, and its echoes across centuries.