Pentanummium of Justin II, Constantinople 565 - 578

Editor: Here we have a Pentanummium of Justin II from Constantinople. It’s a copper coin. It looks heavily corroded. What’s your interpretation of this object? Curator: This coin speaks volumes about power and its representation. The figure of Justin II, though worn, reminds us of the Byzantine Empire's intersectional dynamics – the tensions between religious authority, imperial control, and the lived realities of the people. How does its materiality—copper, a common metal—contrast with the grand narratives it supported? Editor: It's interesting to consider how such a mundane object could bolster an entire empire. Curator: Exactly. Its existence prompts us to consider the broader historical forces at play. What can we say about its value, both monetarily and symbolically? Editor: I see what you mean.