Coin of Justinian I c. 539 - 540

Curator: Here we have a bronze coin of Justinian I, a tangible link to the Byzantine Empire and its socio-political landscape. Editor: The coin’s rough texture and faded details lend it a melancholic air, a fragment of a forgotten age. Curator: Indeed, the depiction of Justinian connects us to the emperor’s ideology of power, but what about the people represented—or rather, unrepresented—on this object? Editor: I'm drawn to the abstract symbolism of the reverse side; it seems to convey power through pure geometric form. Curator: I agree. The coin provides insight into the empire's economic and cultural systems and the power imbalances inherent within. Editor: And the weathering only enhances the narrative of its enduring presence through time. Curator: The coin forces us to consider how empires construct their legacies, and who gets to be remembered. Editor: Precisely, and what the interplay of decay and design reveals about that legacy.