Tetradrachm of ? under Elagabalus c. 3th century

Editor: Here we have a Tetradrachm of Elagabalus from the Harvard Art Museums. Looking at its worn surface, it feels like a tangible connection to a distant past. What stories do you see etched into this little coin? Curator: Oh, I love that question! For me, this coin whispers of power, ambition, and the fleeting nature of fame. Elagabalus, a teenage emperor, stamped his image onto currency, an act of declaring his authority. And yet, here it is, worn and weathered, a reminder that even empires crumble. Doesn't it make you wonder about the hands it passed through? Editor: It certainly does! Now I'm thinking about who held this coin and what they might have bought with it. Curator: Exactly! These objects are like time capsules, aren't they? Each scratch and imperfection is a tiny clue, inviting us to imagine the lives of people long gone. Editor: I’ll never look at a coin the same way again. Curator: Me neither.