Half Asper of Alexios IV c. 15th century

Editor: Here we have two views of a small silver coin, a Half Asper of Alexios IV. Given its size, I'm curious about what kind of messages it might carry. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This isn't just currency; it's a statement of power, however small. Consider the figure depicted—presumably Alexios himself—as a carefully constructed persona. How does this representation reinforce or challenge contemporary notions of Byzantine leadership? Editor: So, even something as small as a coin can be a form of propaganda? Curator: Absolutely. And what does the coin's materiality—its silver content, its production quality—say about the economic and political stability of Alexios's reign? Editor: I never thought about a coin carrying so much cultural information. Thanks for broadening my understanding. Curator: It's all about questioning the narratives we take for granted, even in the smallest of objects.