Sestertius of Faustina I 147 - 161

Curator: Look at this well-preserved sestertius of Faustina I. It’s located in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: The surfaces have a beautiful, aged patina. I see a portrait on one side and a standing figure on the other. Is that Vesta? Curator: Indeed. The iconography presents Faustina I, wife of Antoninus Pius, in the guise of Vesta, goddess of hearth, home, and family. Consider this object as imperial propaganda, aimed to deify and elevate Faustina’s image. Editor: The symbol of Vesta reinforces notions of domesticity and imperial stability. Fascinating how symbols were used for political messaging, even then. Curator: Exactly, and this coin would have been widely circulated, ensuring the message reached a broad audience. Editor: So much significance imbued in such a small object. It really makes you think about the power of images in shaping public perception.