Tetarteron of Alexios III c. 14th century

Editor: Here we have a coin, a Tetarteron of Alexios III, by Alexios III himself. It has a worn, almost haunting quality. What can you tell me about its significance? Curator: This coin offers a glimpse into the Byzantine Empire's visual rhetoric. Its imagery, circulated widely, reinforced Alexios III's authority, attempting to legitimize his reign through divine associations. Editor: So, it’s more than just currency; it's propaganda? Curator: Precisely. Coins were powerful tools for projecting imperial power and religious ideology throughout society. Consider how the imagery would be interpreted by different social classes and in varied regional contexts. Editor: That's fascinating. I never considered currency as a form of political messaging. Curator: Indeed. And studying its distribution can tell us about trade routes and political influence. Each coin carried the weight of imperial ambition and cultural values.