Half Follis of Anastasios I c. 498 - 518

Curator: Here we have a Half Follis of Anastasios I, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks like it's been through a lot! The patina and wear give it such a weighty, almost somber presence. Curator: Indeed. The condition speaks to its extensive use and circulation. Each mark is a record of hands, trades, and the economic life it facilitated. We see the portrait of Anastasios I on one side. Editor: And the Chi-Rho symbol on the reverse, no doubt invoking divine sanction for his reign. That symbol carries such an emotional charge, a potent declaration of faith and power intertwined. Curator: Precisely. The use of bronze was strategic; it allowed for mass production, embedding Anastasios' image and authority into the very fabric of daily life. Editor: Seeing the Chi-Rho makes me think of all the visual languages of faith, constantly evolving yet echoing through time. This little coin holds so much history! Curator: Absolutely, a potent reminder of the confluence of labor, belief, and power. Editor: A fascinating artifact. I'm struck by how this little coin offers a window into a distant era.