Coin of Deultum under the Empress Julia Mammaea c. 3th century

Editor: This is a coin from Deultum under the Empress Julia Mammaea, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's small, of course, and quite worn. One side seems to show a portrait, the other a lion. What strikes you most about its visual elements? Curator: The coin exemplifies how minute details can articulate power. Notice how the effigy, despite its scale, commands the visual field through relief. The lion, similarly, isn't merely representational; its posture, musculature, and the very texture of its mane contribute to an overall composition that speaks to imperial authority. What do you observe about the surface's texture and what it communicates? Editor: It appears rough, aged. Does that communicate something beyond just its physical state? Curator: Precisely. The coin's patina tells a story of time and circulation. The material degradation becomes a visual metaphor for endurance and the lasting impact of imperial presence. Editor: That’s a fascinating way to interpret the wear and tear – not just damage, but a kind of visual language. Curator: Indeed. It prompts us to consider how materiality itself shapes meaning.