Coin of Justinian I c. 549 - 550

Curator: This is a bronze coin of Justinian I, held in the collections of the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The image feels heavy, almost weighted down by time. It’s interesting how such a small object carries so much… gravity. Curator: Indeed. Consider the power embedded in this everyday object. The coin isn't simply currency. Editor: Absolutely. The portrait of Justinian, barely visible after centuries, would have conveyed his authority directly to the people. It’s a form of early propaganda. Curator: And on the reverse, the large "M" symbolizes the value of the coin itself, but framed within the iconography of imperial power and divine sanction. Editor: It makes you wonder about the hands this coin has passed through, the exchanges it facilitated. It's a tangible link to a distant past. Curator: A past built on systems of power, belief, and economics, all distilled into this humble little disc. Editor: Ultimately, an object lesson in how we create and perpetuate meaning.