Coin of Arcadius, Nicomedia 388 - 392

Curator: Here we have a coin of Arcadius, struck in Nicomedia. It's a small artifact, weighing less than a gram. Editor: My first thought is just how much history is embedded in such a tiny, worn piece of metal. It feels like holding time itself. Curator: Indeed. Coins like this weren't just currency; they were instruments of power, bearing the emperor's image and reinforcing imperial authority. Editor: I can almost feel the weight of the emperor's gaze. To think of this circulating as propaganda… amazing. Curator: Precisely. It speaks volumes about the political landscape of the late Roman Empire, the use of imagery, and the emperor's ubiquitous presence in daily life. Editor: What a reminder that even the smallest objects can hold such immense historical weight. Curator: Absolutely. It's a testament to the enduring power of even the most humble artifact.