Coin of Justin II c. 565 - 578

Editor: This is a coin of Justin II, located in the Harvard Art Museums. The worn details make me wonder about the society it came from and the messages it was meant to convey. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Well, coins were powerful tools of propaganda. How did Justin II want to be seen, and what messages did he want to circulate about his rule? Consider the symbols and imagery carefully selected for these small, but impactful, objects. Editor: So, it’s not just money, but a statement? Curator: Exactly. In essence, Justin II was crafting his public image. The coin becomes a portable advertisement of his power and legitimacy, distributed across his empire. Editor: That gives me a whole new perspective on something as seemingly simple as a coin! Curator: Indeed! This coin reveals how art, politics, and daily life were intertwined in the Byzantine Empire.