Coin (AE4) of Constans, Rome 337 - 340

Curator: This is a coin of Constans, a Roman Emperor. What strikes you about it? Editor: It's so small and worn! The image is hard to make out, but I think it's a portrait. How can we even interpret something like this? Curator: This isn't just a coin; it’s a symbol of power and control. Who is being represented, and who is being excluded? Coins were circulated widely, disseminating images of authority. Who got to see this image, and what messages were they intended to receive about the Emperor's legitimacy and the stability of the Roman Empire? Editor: So, even something this small could be a form of propaganda? Curator: Absolutely. Now, think about the material itself. Bronze, while more accessible than gold or silver, still signified Roman economic might. How does the coin's current eroded state challenge that original message of power? Editor: That makes you wonder about the stories this little object could tell. Curator: Indeed. And it invites us to question whose stories are deemed worthy of preservation and circulation in the first place.