Coin of Justin II c. 575 - 576

Editor: So, this is a coin of Justin II, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's small, dark, and pretty unassuming, yet I can't help but feel a connection to history just looking at it. What story do you think it whispers? Curator: Ah, whispers of emperors and empires, indeed! Imagine holding a piece of everyday life from so long ago. This coin, though humble now, was a statement. Justin II, stamping his authority, his *image*, onto the currency. It’s a tiny power move, isn’t it? A visual reminder of who's in charge every time someone buys bread. Editor: That's fascinating, like a pocket-sized propaganda piece! I hadn't thought of it that way. Curator: Exactly! And consider the wear and tear; think of all the hands it passed through, the transactions, the journeys. It's a tangible link to a world both familiar and utterly different. A reminder that even emperors eventually fade, but their coins… well, sometimes they stick around. Editor: I love that. It makes you think about what we leave behind, doesn’t it?