Coin of Phokas c. 603 - 604

Curator: Here we have a "Coin of Phokas", housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a tangible link to an emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Editor: It looks...well, weathered. Like a forgotten worry, pressed down, lost in the dirt. I like that. Curator: Its materiality speaks of a vast empire, doesn't it? Think of the copper—mined, smelted, and struck. The labor! It’s more than just currency; it's a story of extraction and power. Editor: And that face! So stylized, almost haunting. It’s like a mask, or a dream of power, worn down by time. Curator: Indeed, a coin is a tool of propaganda, of course. Editor: Exactly. This small thing is just such a fascinating nexus of history, isn't it? Curator: Absolutely, and in this case also a sad reminder of an emperor ultimately overthrown. Editor: It makes me consider the value that we imbue into objects, both then and now.