Sestertius of Commodus c. 186 - 187

Curator: This is a sestertius of Commodus, held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It feels weighty, doesn't it? Even just looking at it. Ancient, powerful—yet worn smooth by time and touch. I'm struck by its stoic vibe. Curator: Indeed. Coinage served as propaganda, circulating imperial imagery and values. Each portrait, each symbol, was carefully chosen to project authority. Editor: Commodus looks…bored? Like he's already tired of being emperor. Is that just my projection, or is there something to that? Curator: History remembers Commodus as erratic. Seeing his image literally in the hands of the public highlights that tension between representation and reality. Editor: So, not just money but also spin. Still, I find the intimacy compelling. Holding power, quite literally, in your palm. Curator: Ultimately, these objects offer tangible connections to distant eras, revealing the intersection of power, art, and everyday life. Editor: Yes, and imagining who held it, what they bought. History you can hold. Makes you think.