Coin of John II c. 1118 - 1122

Curator: This is a coin minted during the reign of John II, a Byzantine emperor, and part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: The stark contrast of the dark metal against the incised figure gives it a very somber, weighty feel. Curator: Absolutely. Coins were tools for disseminating power and legitimacy. Imagine the weight of imperial ideology pressed into such a small object. Editor: I’m struck by the balance achieved between the iconographic portrait and the geometric lettering that frames it. Curator: Consider, too, how these coins were not simply currency but symbols of John II's rule and the empire's enduring legacy. How would its circulation affect Byzantine views of class, power, and identity? Editor: True, but the artistry itself—the precise lines, the distribution of mass—these formal elements communicate just as powerfully. Curator: It’s fascinating how a single coin opens up so many avenues for exploring Byzantine society. Editor: Agreed. It all stems from the way in which its form so efficiently carries its message.