Sestertius of Septimius Severus c. 2th - 3th century

Editor: Here we have a Sestertius of Septimius Severus, a coin from the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite worn, but I can still make out the portrait. What can you tell me about it? Curator: This coin, like all currency, is a powerful propaganda tool. Septimius Severus, a North African emperor, used coinage to legitimize his rule in a Roman society rife with xenophobia. Editor: So, the very image of Severus challenged existing biases? Curator: Exactly! His depiction, likely carefully crafted, spoke directly to anxieties about who could hold power, and the evolving racial and cultural landscape of the Roman Empire. Editor: I hadn't considered the coin as a deliberate political statement on identity. Curator: These objects remind us to question narratives of power and belonging, even those etched in metal.