Coin 

Curator: This humble artifact is a coin, issued during the Byzantine Empire, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's weathered, isn't it? The green patina speaks volumes about time and material decay, making the original imagery so hard to decipher. Curator: Precisely. What remains of the imagery offers a glimpse into Byzantine symbolism and governance. The iconography was strategically deployed to legitimize imperial power and communicate messages to a diverse population. Editor: I'm also struck by how a small object could hold so much political weight. How was this coin used to shape identities and power structures across different classes and ethnicities? Curator: It served as a tool for economic exchange and a potent symbol of imperial authority and cultural identity within the Byzantine world. Editor: Seeing this, I'm reminded of the power dynamics inherent in something as seemingly innocuous as currency. It prompts us to consider the narratives embedded in the objects we use daily.