Coin of Phokas c. 606 - 607

Curator: This is a coin of Phokas, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks worn, but there's a haunting quality to its survival. A tiny piece of someone's everyday reality. Curator: Indeed. Coins such as this were not merely currency; they were powerful tools for disseminating imperial imagery and solidifying Phokas's authority after he usurped the throne. Editor: Power stamped onto metal, circulating through the population. I wonder about the hands that held it, the transactions it facilitated, the stories it could tell about wealth disparity, trade, and the empire's control. Curator: A fascinating point. The coin's imagery would have been instantly recognizable. The very act of using it reinforced Phokas's place at the center of their world. Editor: It makes you consider how such a small object could represent such an immense amount of power and influence. Curator: Precisely. It highlights how art and politics are interwoven. Editor: It does. Makes you think of all the overlooked narratives embedded even in mundane things.