Coin of Phokas c. 603 - 604

Curator: This artifact from the Harvard Art Museums is a coin of Phokas. Editor: It looks so worn down, like it has stories pressed into its surface, secrets whispered from hand to hand. Curator: Exactly! The coin is a tangible link to his reign as Byzantine Emperor, albeit a very short and tumultuous one. It probably served as a symbol of imperial power, quite literally changing hands. Editor: I love that you call it tangible. It's incredible to think how many times the coin changed hands. I wonder what kind of stories it could tell. Curator: Precisely. It can be easy to focus on grand narratives. However, it is important to remember the public role of art. We can imagine this was a coin held by a multitude of hands and social classes. Editor: Absolutely, its political history and meaning have certainly evolved over time. It is almost as if that history has seeped into its very structure. Curator: Yes! Each coin, each mark, echoing how art's meaning shifts through time and society. Editor: It definitely offers a whole new way to connect with history.