Coin of Justinian I c. 545 - 546

Curator: We're looking at a coin of Justinian I, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums, a small bronze piece weighing just over 21 grams. Editor: Immediately, I notice the worn texture; the coin whispers stories of exchange, of power, of hands long gone. Curator: It's a tangible link to Byzantium, showcasing Justinian, who reigned during a critical period of legal reform and massive building projects. We see how political power sought to present itself. Editor: Absolutely. The inscription, though faded, speaks volumes about legitimizing power through both iconography and text. How fascinating it is to consider whose hands these passed through and what that meant in terms of gender or social mobility. Curator: Indeed, it allows us to really imagine the texture of daily life within the context of Justinian's ambitious rule. Editor: Looking at this coin, I see a conduit, connecting the historical and the personal in ways that still resonate today.