Coin of Byblos under Macrinus c. 217 - 218

Curator: Here we have a coin minted in Byblos under the reign of Macrinus, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. The weight is measured at 7.64 grams. Editor: It’s aged with a beautiful verdigris, this coin whispers of trade routes and power struggles. I'm immediately drawn to the way the metal itself tells a story. Curator: Absolutely. Think of the symbolism packed into such a small object—a potent statement of imperial authority and economic stability. Editor: And the labor involved in its creation, the mining, smelting, striking...each step deeply embedded in the social fabric. It’s not just currency; it's a record of material processes. Curator: Precisely. Each image, carefully chosen, carries layers of cultural memory and reinforces the emperor's legitimacy through archetypes. Editor: Considering its journey through time, the wear and the transformations of the metal itself, this coin feels incredibly tactile and connected to its origins. Curator: It's a tangible link to a distant past, loaded with symbolic weight. Editor: A potent reminder that even the smallest object can reveal vast social and material histories.