Coin of Herakleios c. 610 - 613

Editor: Here we have the Coin of Herakleios, created by Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyads. It’s such a tiny object, made of gold, but it looks heavy with history. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This coin presents a fascinating intersection of power, religion, and cultural appropriation. Abd-al-Malik, despite leading a burgeoning Islamic empire, initially adopted Byzantine coinage. Why maintain the visual language of a conquered power? Editor: Was it simply a matter of practicality? Curator: Perhaps initially, but consider the statement it makes. It speaks to the complex negotiation of identity, where the conqueror appropriates and adapts the symbols of the conquered, blurring lines of power and legitimacy. What does it mean for a new empire to adopt the visual vocabulary of the old? Editor: It's not just about functionality, it's about making a claim. Curator: Precisely. And this coin invites us to consider the visual strategies employed by emerging empires to establish their dominance. This challenges a simplistic understanding of power dynamics. Editor: This really helps me see the coin as more than just currency, but also as a complex symbol.