Follis of Licinius I, Rome 314

Curator: Here we have a Roman Follis of Licinius I, a small, bronze coin dating back to his reign. Editor: The verdigris is striking. The green almost obscures the original details, giving it a ghostly, antique feel. Curator: Exactly. The coin's composition, despite its age, reveals a clear hierarchy. The Emperor's profile dominates one side, a figure of power, juxtaposed with Victory on the reverse, indicating an idealised imperial message. Editor: And it's fascinating to consider the production of these coins. The bronze itself, where it came from, the labour involved in its mining and refinement, and the skill required to die-strike such intricate designs. Curator: Indeed. The coin’s materiality is vital, but it’s the formal arrangement that communicates power, resonating through the careful balancing of imagery and text. Editor: I find the wear and the oxidation so moving. It's a connection to the hands that held it, the markets where it circulated, and the lives it touched. Curator: A powerful reminder that even in decay, formal design endures, speaking volumes about the aspirations of empire. Editor: Absolutely, and also of the slow, inevitable march of time and material transformation.