Large Follis of Anastasios I, Constantinople c. 498 - 518

Curator: This is a Large Follis of Anastasios I from Constantinople. It's a copper coin, quite worn, but still holding potent symbolism. Editor: It feels weighty, not just in grams, but in history. It has a solemn feel, like a relic whispering stories of power and trade. Curator: Indeed. The portrait of Anastasios on one side presents him as a divine ruler, his image intended to project authority. The large "M" on the reverse, flanked by stars, represents its value as forty nummi. Editor: The stars offer an interesting contrast. Coins are supposed to offer stability, and yet, by featuring stars, is it trying to capture a sense of fate, luck, or even destiny? Curator: Perhaps. These symbols, repeated across the empire, reinforced not just economic stability but the emperor's divine right to rule. It speaks to the psychology of governance. Editor: I see how this coin becomes a tool—a physical manifestation of power dynamics, shaping the perceptions and lived realities of those within its economy. Curator: The iconography of such objects creates cultural memory. Editor: Which gives a whole new meaning to 'spending' money. Curator: Precisely! Editor: What a glimpse into late antiquity.