AE Gordiauus III 

Curator: This coin, titled "AE Gordiauus III," resides in the Harvard Art Museums. The figure on one side has an imposing profile. Editor: The high relief and the weathered bronze give it a somber, almost ghostly presence. Curator: The coin would have carried not just monetary value but also symbolic weight; it’s a tangible link to the reign of Gordian III. Editor: Note how the sculptor used the circular shape to frame the emperor’s image, creating a powerful visual statement. Curator: The figure on the reverse is Fortuna, with a wheel, representing the fickle nature of fate and, perhaps, the hope for a stable reign. Editor: And the use of bronze—its color and texture—speaks to both endurance and the inevitable decay of power. Curator: Indeed, it's a potent reminder that even empires eventually fade, leaving behind only fragments like this. Editor: A small object, perhaps, but one holding so much history and meaning.