Denarius of Septimius Severus c. 206

Curator: Looking at this Denarius of Septimius Severus from the Harvard Art Museums, one immediately confronts questions of power, representation, and the construction of historical narrative. Editor: Wow, it's smaller than I imagined! And kind of…battered? Like it's been on a real journey through time, you know? Curator: Absolutely. This coin, though diminutive, served as a powerful tool for disseminating imperial ideology. The portrait of Septimius Severus, for example, projects an image of strength, authority, and legitimate rule, crucial in solidifying his dynasty after a period of civil war. Editor: It's funny how something so worn still screams "power," even now. I wonder how many hands it passed through? Each transaction, each life touched by its value... Curator: Precisely. Coins like this also reflect broader societal values and economic structures of the Roman Empire, the intersections of class, commerce, and control being literally imprinted upon its surface. Editor: It's a little metal seed of history, isn't it? Packed with stories, power struggles, and whispers of everyday life. I feel like I could hold it forever and keep discovering new meanings. Curator: Indeed, by examining objects like this Denarius, we can begin to question whose voices are amplified and whose are marginalized within the dominant historical record. Editor: So much history captured in such a small space...it makes you think.