Coin of Justinian I c. 541 - 542

Editor: Here we have a copper coin of Justinian I. The portrait feels very stylized; what symbols and ideas do you see represented in this small, weighty object? Curator: Coins are fascinating as vessels of cultural memory. Here, Justinian appropriates and adapts symbols of power: the cross, for instance, as a mark of Christian authority, combined with imperial portraiture echoing Roman emperors. It reveals a deliberate construction of his image. Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn't thought about the combination of religious and imperial power like that. Curator: It reveals how potent images become through their continuous re-contextualization. It speaks of both continuity and transformation. Editor: I see what you mean! Curator: Do you think this coin served to remind people about the power of the emperor, or something else? Editor: It's like portable propaganda, isn’t it? Curator: Precisely, a pocket-sized reminder of the emperor’s reach and the values he wished to project. Editor: Thanks. That helps me see the coin as much more than just currency. Curator: I agree! Looking at the object through its symbols gives us insight into the emperor’s own self-image.