Follis of Licinius I, Alexandria 321 - 324

Curator: Immediately I feel a sense of profound age and history, like holding a whisper from the past. Editor: That's exactly it! This is a follis of Licinius I, minted in Alexandria. Think of it as propaganda—currency as a tool of political messaging. Curator: It's amazing to think this little coin, this 2.8 grams of metal, carried the weight of imperial power. Editor: Absolutely. The portrait on one side, the deity on the other—all meticulously crafted to project authority and legitimacy. Power and money distilled into portable art. Curator: I wonder who handled it? What stories did it witness? It feels like a tangible link to a world so different, yet so familiar in its power dynamics. Editor: Indeed. A potent reminder that even the smallest object can speak volumes about the complexities of empire, identity, and representation. Curator: It’s incredible how something so small can contain so much. Editor: It is, and there’s so much more history waiting to be discovered.