Tetarteron of Alexios III c. 14th century

Curator: Before us, we have the Tetarteron of Alexios III, a coin residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks like a rough sketch of power, worn smooth by time. What kind of statement was it trying to make? Curator: These coins were crucial tools for legitimizing Alexios III’s reign amidst political instability. Their imagery linked him to divine authority. Editor: I see figures that look like rulers depicted on one side. Are they supposed to evoke stability and divine right? Curator: Exactly! The imagery reinforces his claim as the rightful Byzantine emperor, reassuring both local and foreign entities about his control. Editor: A reminder, in metal, of who held the reins. Small, yet significant in projecting authority. Curator: Precisely, and its survival allows us to consider the potency of carefully constructed public image in Byzantium. Editor: It is a glimpse into history as understood through symbols of power.