Antoninianus of Tetricus I c. 270 - 273

Curator: The Harvard Art Museums hold this fascinating object: an Antoninianus of Tetricus I. Editor: It has a weathered, almost melancholic feel. I'm immediately drawn to the patina and the implied history etched into the metal itself. Curator: Absolutely. As currency, it's inextricably linked to political power and the economy of its time. The portrait on one side served as propaganda, asserting Tetricus I's authority. Editor: And the material itself, the bronze, speaks to resource control, labor, and the very act of minting. Each coin a mass-produced object, yet bearing individual marks of its creation and circulation. Curator: It’s also important to remember this was a time of crisis, with the Roman Empire fragmenting. This coin reflects the social and political instability of the period and the challenges to imperial power. Editor: Precisely, and the coin’s very survival and rediscovery connect us to ancient systems of value, production, and exchange. It’s a tangible link to the past. Curator: Seeing it through that lens allows us to contemplate the shifting power dynamics and societal anxieties mirrored in even the smallest of artifacts. Editor: Indeed, it is a humble object rich with history.