Coin 

Editor: This is a Byzantine coin, its date is unknown. It's quite small and weathered. What can we learn from an object like this? Curator: Coins like this offer a fascinating lens into the Byzantine economy and social structures. What stories do you think this coin could tell about power, trade, and everyday life? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. It seems so insignificant on its own. Curator: Exactly! But this coin was someone's wage, someone’s offering. It represents the vast societal machine of the Byzantine Empire, and its reach across race, gender, and status. The wear on it speaks to countless interactions. Editor: So, it's not just an artifact, it’s a record of human interaction. That really shifts my perspective. Curator: Precisely. And how might our understanding of history shift if we foreground these "minor" artifacts? Editor: This makes me want to delve deeper into the social history of the Byzantine Empire. Thanks!