Half-Stavraton of Manuel II c. 1391 - 1425

Curator: The Half-Stavraton of Manuel II, held here at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a tangible link to Byzantine history. Editor: The immediate impression is one of fragility, isn’t it? The worn metal speaks volumes about its journey through time. Curator: Indeed. Manuel II, himself the artist, used the iconography of rulership to communicate power through this coin. The image is more than mere currency. Editor: How fascinating that the emperor himself designed it! The symbols of cross and halo are quite potent, suggesting spiritual authority intertwined with political power. The use of imagery in shaping his public perception must have been crucial. Curator: Precisely. As currency, this object had a constant interaction with the world, and served as a form of propaganda. Editor: It’s remarkable to consider this tiny object as a vessel of cultural memory, reminding us how even the smallest artifacts can carry immense historical and symbolic weight.