Coin of Tripolis under Elagabalus 220 - 221

Editor: We're looking at a coin from Tripolis, dating back to the reign of Elagabalus. It's at the Harvard Art Museums. I find its worn texture so evocative... it feels like holding a piece of history. What stories do you think this little coin whispers? Curator: Ah, that’s precisely the magic, isn’t it? I imagine the weight in someone's palm, the transactions it facilitated, all under Elagabalus, a most controversial emperor! This object becomes a portal, doesn't it, prompting us to consider the grand theater of Roman power, condensed into a small, everyday object. What purpose did it serve? Can we imagine the hands that held it? Editor: It makes history feel so tangible. Thanks for that perspective! Curator: My pleasure! It's those whispers from the past that truly bring art to life, wouldn't you agree?