Solidus of Justinian I, Constantinople 538 - 545

Editor: This is a gold Solidus coin of Justinian I from Constantinople. It feels small but weighty. What symbols stand out to you in this piece? Curator: The iconography speaks volumes. Justinian's face, rendered frontally, embodies imperial authority, but consider the reverse. A winged Victory holding a staff and shield suggests not just conquest, but divine favor. Editor: So, it's more than just money; it's propaganda? Curator: Indeed. Currency was a powerful tool. These images reinforced Justinian’s power and a sense of continuity with Roman traditions. It was visual memory in circulation. Editor: I never thought about coins as carrying so much cultural weight. Curator: Every symbol is a repository of meaning, waiting to be decoded. It changes how we understand its value, doesn't it?