Follis of Crispus, Cyzicus 325 - 326

Curator: Here we have a Follis of Crispus, struck in Cyzicus, a city of ancient Mysia. What are your initial impressions? Editor: The patination and the wear on the surface immediately speak to its age. The designs, though, still convey a sense of power. Curator: Absolutely. The coin features a portrait of Crispus, son of Constantine the Great, on one side. Editor: And on the other, we see what appears to be a fortified gate or structure. That's a powerful symbol of defense and imperial might. Curator: It's evocative of a time of change. Crispus's image embodies Roman authority but also a shifting cultural landscape under Constantine. Editor: Yes, the composition itself—the bounded circular field, the central image—serves to reinforce that authority. Curator: I see it as a little window into a period of both great consolidation and the seeds of transformation for the Roman Empire. Editor: Indeed, a tangible and symbolic object, holding echoes of its own historical moment.