Coin of Michael VII c. 1071 - 1078

Curator: This is a coin, likely silver, issued during the reign of Michael VII, a Byzantine Emperor in the 11th century. It's a small object, just over a gram. Editor: It looks quite weathered; it evokes a sense of history and the passage of time. I imagine all the hands it might have passed through. Curator: Indeed. The imagery would have been deliberately chosen; on one side, you see the emperor himself, an assertion of power and authority. Editor: What strikes me is how something so small represents such concentrated power. A tool of control that reflects the social hierarchy of the time. Curator: Absolutely. It is a powerful symbol that reminds us of empire, and the complex relationship between rulers and the ruled. Editor: Seeing it makes you think about currency today and who holds the power to create it, control it, and benefit from it. Curator: It also reminds us that symbols of power persist, even as empires crumble. Editor: Yes, a poignant reminder to question whose faces and values are being imprinted on our collective memory.