Coin (AE4) of Constans 

Editor: This is a bronze coin of Constans, a Roman Emperor; it is held at the Harvard Art Museums. The color and texture really give a sense of age. What can you tell us about this piece? Curator: Well, it's more than just an artifact, it's a little echo of an emperor's ambition. I see the wear and tear, the little battle scars of time, and imagine it changing hands, buying a loaf of bread, maybe witnessing a conspiracy or two. Coins like these were mini-billboards; what stories do you think it whispers? Editor: It makes me think about how the image of power persists across millennia. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! A tangible connection to the past; it makes me feel like history is something you can hold in your hand.