Quadrans of Antioch under Elagabalus 

Editor: Here we have a Quadrans of Antioch under Elagabalus, a small coin, really. It’s worn, of course, but still legible. What's particularly interesting to you about this piece of currency? Curator: Well, this coin speaks volumes about the role of imagery in constructing imperial power. Elagabalus's reign was controversial. How did he use such objects to project authority? Consider how this coin circulated within the empire. Editor: So it's less about the coin itself, and more about what it represented? Curator: Precisely. It's about the social function of this object, a tool of propaganda, reinforcing the emperor's image among the populace and even the army. What do you think the average person thought when they saw this? Editor: That’s a good point. I hadn't considered the political implications of something so small. Thanks!