Sestertius of Severus Alexander c. 3th century

Editor: So, this is a Sestertius of Severus Alexander, a Roman coin. It's small, unassuming, but feels really weighty with history. What do you see in this piece, beyond just an old coin? Curator: This isn't merely currency; it's a powerful piece of propaganda. Consider how portraits of emperors were circulated. How did the Roman state use this, in a sense, proto-mass media to disseminate an image of power, identity, and legitimacy across a vast empire? Editor: So, it's less about the coin's value and more about what it represents? Curator: Exactly! Think about the demographics. Who would have seen or held this coin? How does that impact our understanding of the relationship between the ruler and the ruled? It’s a political object first, a coin second. Editor: I never thought about it that way. It makes you wonder about the other hidden messages these objects might hold. Curator: Indeed. And how those messages still resonate today.