City Commemorative Issue, Lyons 335

Curator: Today, we’re looking at a bronze coin, specifically a City Commemorative Issue from Lyons, crafted under Constantine I. Editor: It looks like something you’d find glinting half-buried in the dirt, whispering tales of forgotten empires. The patina alone makes it sing. Curator: Indeed. Its materiality speaks volumes. Notice the careful incuse relief, the figure on the reverse—a she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus. Editor: There’s such a tactile quality, even in a digital image. You can almost feel the weight, the coldness of the metal worn smooth by centuries of pockets and palms. Curator: The circular format imposes a clear boundary. This creates an aesthetic closure that reinforces its symbolic function within the Roman monetary system. Editor: I'm struck by how something so small embodies such immense history. It's a tangible connection to a civilization that shaped our world. Curator: It's a testament to the power of art to transcend time. Editor: A tiny, potent capsule of history. I love it.