Coin (AE4) of Constantine I after 337

Editor: Here we have a bronze coin, what's called an AE4, of Constantine I. It's small, and worn, but still… present. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Consider the labor involved. Mining the ore, smelting, striking the coin—all intensive. Then, its circulation: facilitating trade, paying soldiers, shaping the economy. How does the coin's material history shape our understanding of the emperor’s power? Editor: So, it's less about the image *on* the coin, and more about what the coin *does*? Curator: Precisely! It’s a tool, a commodity, and a reflection of the social relations of production in the Roman Empire. This isn't just art; it's embedded in a whole system of making and using. Editor: Fascinating. I'll never look at a coin the same way again! Curator: It's a starting point for understanding larger forces at play.