Pentanummium of Herakleios, Carthage 610 - 641

Curator: Here we have a Pentanummium of Herakleios, minted in Carthage. Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyad Caliphate is credited with its production. Editor: It’s remarkable how much history is etched onto such a small object. The wear and tear speak of trade, power, and the passage of time. Curator: Indeed. The coin features imagery of Byzantine rulers but was made during a period of significant transition when the Umayyads were consolidating power. The symbols carry a weight of both cultural continuity and change. Editor: Seeing these symbols co-opted underscores the complex socio-political landscape of the time. It raises questions about identity and the deliberate manipulation of visual language in periods of conquest. Curator: Precisely, it's a fascinating glimpse into how visual symbols served as a bridge between cultures while also being tools of power. Editor: It makes you consider the power that even the smallest, most mundane objects can hold as cultural artifacts.