Half Asper of Alexios IV of Trebizond c. 1416 - 1429

Curator: Here at the Harvard Art Museums, we have a Half Asper coin of Alexios IV of Trebizond. Editor: It looks like something you'd find glinting in the dirt, a forgotten memory. Curator: These coins feature Saint Eugenios, the patron saint of Trebizond, holding a martyr's cross and palm. We can see how the imagery reinforces Alexios's claim to power. Editor: So it's a mini-propaganda piece, all about legitimacy and divine favor, wrapped up in this tiny, tarnished package. You have to wonder what stories this little coin could tell. Curator: Quite so. Visual relics like these serve as potent reminders of the cultural and political narratives that defined their time. Editor: It’s a humbling thing to consider – the weight of history and faith pressed into this small piece of metal.