Coin of Nikephoros III c. 1078 - 1081

Curator: Here we have a "Coin of Nikephoros III," created by Nikephoros III himself. It’s a Byzantine coin, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: There's a weightiness to it, both literal at 4.37 grams and symbolic. It feels… authoritative. Curator: Indeed. Currency isn't just a material exchange; it's a potent symbol of power, legitimacy, and economic control. Editor: And the craftsmanship? The detail pressed into such a small object speaks to the skill and labor involved in its production. Imagine the workshops, the distribution networks. Curator: Absolutely. And consider Nikephoros III commissioning his own image. It's a statement of his self-perception and how he wished to be viewed by his contemporaries and by posterity. Editor: I keep coming back to what this object signifies, all its different layers. Curator: It serves as a tangible link to a complex historical narrative. Editor: Yes, power, labor, and the very human desire to leave a mark.