Coin of Justinian II c. 685 - 695

Curator: Ah, this unassuming coin, a copper piece minted during the reign of Justinian II. It's quite small, weighing just over three grams, but it carries a weighty history. Editor: It has a mournful air about it, don't you think? The worn details give it the look of something dredged up from a long-lost memory. Curator: Absolutely. The imagery, though faded, would have communicated power and legitimacy. A potent symbol, meant to be held and exchanged. Editor: The emperor's image, stamped on metal, wasn't just about trade, was it? It was about extending his gaze, his authority, to the furthest reaches of his empire. Each transaction a small echo of his power. Curator: Precisely! And consider this little coin's journey—the hands it passed through, the stories it could tell. It's a tangible link to a vanished world. Editor: It makes you wonder about the lives touched by it, the tiny dramas it financed. A humble object, yet a silent witness to history's grand sweep.