Dupondius of Commodus c. 2th century

Curator: Commodus, the Roman Emperor, is credited with this Dupondius. What strikes you about its production? Editor: I notice how worn and weathered it looks. It makes me think about who handled it and what kind of economic power it represents. How was it made? Curator: We must consider the labor involved in its minting. The materiality of the coin—the base metal, the die-striking process—reveals much about Roman industry and the emperor's self-promotion. The coin reflects the Roman economic system. It also connects Commodus to a broader network of production and consumption. Editor: So, it's not just about the image of the emperor, but about the whole process of creating and using the coin. Curator: Exactly. Its value lies in the labor, the material, and its circulation. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way.