Coin of Attaleia under Lucius Verus c. 2th century

Curator: Here we see a coin of Attaleia under Lucius Verus, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums, weighing just over 7 grams. Editor: It feels incredibly weighty, doesn't it? The patina of age suggests a story etched into its very surface. Curator: Absolutely. The minting of such a coin underscores the power dynamics and the material realities of the Roman Empire. Think about the labor involved in extracting the metal, the skill required to create the dies, and the symbolic power embedded in its design. Editor: I’m struck by the portrait of Lucius Verus himself and the image of Athena on the reverse. It speaks to the constructed identities and projected ideals of leadership and civic virtue during that time. How did this object function within its society? Curator: Its production and circulation were certainly acts of economic and political power. Examining its materiality allows us to understand the social and economic underpinnings of the Roman empire. Editor: Right. And how it shaped daily life for people then. Curator: Indeed, thinking about its presence invites contemplation on how value, labor, and identity intersect. Editor: It gives a new meaning to "small change," doesn't it?