Centenionalis of Constantius II, Constantinople 351 - 354

Editor: Here we have a Centenionalis coin from Constantinople, dating back to the time of Constantius II. The copper is heavily patinated. What strikes me is how material culture like this coin embodies power dynamics – what do you see in it? Curator: Absolutely. This isn't just currency, it’s a statement of imperial authority circulating through society. What does it mean when the image of the Emperor, the supposed guarantor of stability, becomes worn and corroded? Whose voices are missing from this narrative of power? Editor: So, the coin’s very degradation speaks to a broader history? Curator: Precisely! It invites us to consider the vulnerabilities and inequalities inherent in systems of power, and how those inequalities are reflected in the objects that endure. I wonder, how does this change your perspective of the piece? Editor: I see it not as just a coin, but as a fragmented relic of a complex political structure. Curator: Exactly. And questioning these power dynamics through the lens of something as simple as a coin, really changes how we look at history.