Dodecanummium of Herakleios, Alexandria 618 - 628

Curator: This is a Dodecanummium of Herakleios, minted in Alexandria, likely under Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyad Caliphate. Editor: It looks incredibly worn, like a memory slowly fading, a whisper of a forgotten transaction. What’s the story with the imagery? Curator: The coin features the standing figures of Heraclius, his son, and a prominent "M" mark. The images connect to the Byzantine past, while the Arabic inscriptions hint at the new Umayyad rule. Editor: So, it's a fascinating hybrid—a visual representation of changing power, expressed through copper alloy and the labor of minting. Curator: Precisely. Think of the symbolic weight of retaining older symbols while subtly introducing new cultural markers. Editor: It's more than just money; it's a little piece of history, a tangible record of cultural shift. Curator: Indeed. Each mark on that tiny surface speaks volumes about cultural exchange. Editor: Makes you wonder about all the hands it passed through, all those stories echoing through time.