Follis of Crispus, Alexandria 321 - 324

Editor: This is a Follis of Crispus from Alexandria. The details are hard to make out, but what strikes me is its age. What can we learn from this coin today? Curator: Coins like this were tools of power, circulating not just currency, but also imperial ideology. Consider Crispus, the son of Constantine. This coin, likely minted in Alexandria, would have been used to legitimize his power in a complex political landscape. Editor: So, it’s more than just money; it's about influence? Curator: Precisely. Coins like this one are primary documents, offering insight into gender, class, and the social stratifications of the time. We can ask: who is being represented, and who is excluded? How does this object enforce existing power structures? Editor: I never thought about it that way. It makes me look at even modern coins differently. Curator: Right? It prompts us to consider what our own currency communicates about power, identity, and value.