Coin (AE3/4) of Constantius II, Thessalonica 335 - 336

Editor: Here we have an ancient coin, specifically an AE3/4 of Constantius II from Thessalonica. It's small, but weighty, and its worn surface tells a story. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: It's a tangible piece of propaganda, isn't it? Consider its purpose: circulating an image of power and authority. How does a ruler like Constantius II, implicated in family purges, use visual imagery to legitimize his reign in the eyes of his subjects and the soldiers who maintained his power? Editor: That's interesting. So, every element, the portrait, the inscription, it's all carefully constructed to project a specific image? Curator: Precisely! Think about the semiotics of power. Who is included, who is excluded? What narratives are being reinforced, and whose voices are being silenced? Coins offer a fascinating lens into the power dynamics of the Roman Empire. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. It makes you wonder about the messages we're sending today with our own symbols of authority. Curator: Exactly! It's about critically examining the power structures embedded in the everyday objects around us, both then and now.