Sestertius of Gordian III c. 3th century

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this sestertius of Gordian III, weighing in at just over 13 grams, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Oh, wow, it's like holding a tiny universe of history in your hand, isn't it? I feel the weight of empires! Curator: Precisely. Coins like this were crucial for disseminating imperial imagery and projecting power throughout the Roman Empire. Gordian III, in effect, mass-produced his own image! Editor: The little divot at the top – feels like a memento of time itself, battered but still holding an echo of its past glory. Wonder where it traveled, what hands it passed through? Curator: A tangible link to the past indeed, reminding us of the sophisticated systems of governance and propaganda employed even then. Editor: Yeah, makes you wonder what future civilizations will make of our digital currencies, or maybe they won't find them at all. It's all fleeting, isn't it? Curator: Perhaps that’s the most enduring lesson—that even the mightiest empires eventually fade, leaving only fragments behind. Editor: Leaving fragments, but also stories... and really gorgeous fragments at that!