Coin of Constantine VII c. 914 - 919

Curator: This is a coin of Constantine VII, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's worn, isn’t it? The surface texture seems rough, aged. There’s a certain gravity to its form. Curator: As a piece of currency, the coin embodies political power and economic exchange. The imagery reinforces the Byzantine emperor's authority, blending religious symbolism with imperial representation. Editor: Look at the composition! Two figures flank what seems to be a cross, arranged on a circular plane. Even in this condition, the structure is surprisingly stable. Curator: Coins like these served a propagandistic function, circulating not just as money, but as visual assertions of imperial power throughout the Byzantine empire. Editor: A visual assertion embedded in a tactile object... I find that combination fascinating. It’s a reminder of the intimate scale through which empires communicate.