Coin of Maurice Tiberius c. 584 - 585

This coin of Maurice Tiberius is an object wrought from base metal, an artifact of the late Roman Empire, made to represent value and power. Notice the circular form, broken in places, yet insistent in its geometry. The images on each side, though worn, suggest a rigid symbolic order. On one face, the emperor's profile, framed by the coin's edge, embodies authority. On the reverse, the bold ‘M’ denotes a value, anchoring the coin's function within the economic structure of its time. What's fascinating here is how form dictates function. The coin's shape, material, and the symbols it carries aren’t merely decorative; they are integral to its purpose. As a piece it reflects the very essence of imperial power and economic control, compressed into a small, portable object. The coin's enduring circular form still speaks to us across the centuries.