Antoninianus of Gallienus c. 3th century

Curator: Let's discuss this Antoninianus of Gallienus, currently housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, wow. It looks like a little forgotten sun, doesn't it? So weathered, yet carrying such weighty history. Curator: Absolutely. These coins served as potent tools for political communication during a turbulent era of the Roman Empire. They were meant to convey power and legitimacy. Editor: I see it. You can almost feel the weight of political theater pressed into the metal. Imagine all the hands it has passed through... Curator: It reminds us that even the most powerful empires are ephemeral, their grand narratives eventually fading into the earth like this very coin. Editor: True, and yet, here we are, still captivated by this tiny, imperfect circle. It's a beautiful contradiction.