Denarius of Maximinus I Thrax c. 235

Curator: Here we have a denarius of Maximinus I Thrax, held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's small, but striking. I'm immediately drawn to the green corrosion, almost like verdigris, highlighting the raised details. Curator: The silver work served a crucial function, broadcasting the emperor’s image and imperial power throughout the Roman Empire. Consider this piece as propaganda, a tool for solidifying rule. Editor: Indeed, though the wear speaks to its other life—its circulation, its handling, the hands it passed through. It's not just an emblem of power, but an object of everyday use, subject to the elements and the market. Curator: Absolutely, coins like these offer a fascinating insight into the socio-political dynamics of the time and the image management so necessary for rulers. Editor: Seeing the degradation reminds me that even symbols of power are subject to material realities—to oxidation, to erosion, and eventually, to obsolescence.