Coin of Constantine VII c. 914 - 919

Curator: Here at the Harvard Art Museums, we have a fascinating artifact: a coin attributed to Constantine VII. It’s small, unassuming at just over 5 grams. Editor: It's incredible how this little object whispers stories. The wear on the metal evokes centuries of hands, of markets, and everyday transactions. Curator: Its material qualities really ground us to Byzantine life. The debasement of the coin, using less precious metal, reflects economic pressures of the empire. Editor: Exactly, it's not just about emperors or high art. It’s about the nitty-gritty of paying soldiers, feeding cities. Curator: I find myself imagining the weight of it in someone’s palm, what it might have felt like to hold a piece of the empire in your hand. Editor: Absolutely. A coin like this is a potent reminder that even the grandest of empires comes down to the everyday, the material realities of its citizens. Curator: A micro-monument to macro-history, wouldn't you say? Editor: Precisely.