Denarius of Septimius Severus c. 194

Curator: Here we have a Denarius of Septimius Severus, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. What do you think? Editor: It's moody, like a faded dream. The texture promises stories, whispers of empires. Curator: Indeed. This coin, a potent symbol, was not just currency but also propaganda, a tactile way to disseminate power through controlled imagery and material value. Editor: It feels strange to hold power in one's hand, like cupping smoke. Curator: Coinage like this highlights the intersection of art and economy. Septimius Severus used these denarii to pay his soldiers and project his image across the Roman Empire. Editor: So, each coin a tiny seed of control, scattered across the land. I keep wondering what hands it passed through, what debts it settled. Curator: Exactly. Looking at the coin through a material lens, we can discuss Roman governance and the relationship between the state and its people. Editor: Thank you, now I am viewing something beyond just the money, I can feel the weight of history.