Follis of Constans II, Constantinople 659 - 665

Curator: Here we have a Follis of Constans II, a coin originating from Constantinople. It weighs a mere 3.68 grams. Editor: It feels somber, doesn't it? Heavily worn, the images are barely visible, yet they hint at something grand. Curator: Indeed. Coins like this were more than just currency; they were propaganda. The imagery reflected the emperor's power and legitimacy. Consider its role within Byzantine economy. Editor: Precisely. It's easy to overlook the power dynamics embedded in everyday objects. Who had access? Whose image was being circulated? What messages were they carrying to the masses? Curator: These questions help us appreciate the socio-political context of such coins. Editor: Absolutely, because these coins tell a story not just of trade and value, but about who controlled those narratives, whose faces and ideologies were deemed worthy of replication and distribution. Curator: Thinking about its circulation, it's a powerful reminder of past empires. Editor: Yes, and about how those power structures persist, however subtly, even today.