Coin of Herakleios c. 618 - 628

Curator: We are looking at a coin of Herakleios, though minted under Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyads. Its weight is a humble 7.48 grams. Editor: Wow, it feels ancient, like holding a whisper from a forgotten world. The patina has so much story. Curator: Indeed. The coin, housed at the Harvard Art Museums, provides a fascinating case study. It represents an early example of Islamic appropriation of Byzantine iconography. Editor: So, it's basically a remix? I see the Byzantine ruler Herakleios but with Arabic script stamped all over. It is a weird mix of empires colliding. Curator: Precisely. Analyzing the semiotics, we see a deliberate act. The image is retained, yet overlaid with markers of new authority. It’s visual rhetoric. Editor: The texture, the almost comical figures, it feels more immediate than any history book. I can almost imagine who once handled it. Curator: A tactile connection to a complex moment in history. What begins as a currency transforms into a potent symbol of transition. Editor: Yes, that’s what I feel too. It’s like this small artifact is carrying the weight of these two huge cultures.