Sestertius of Julia Domna c. 2th century

Editor: Here we have a sestertius of Julia Domna. It’s amazing to think about how this small bronze coin, likely circulated in the Roman Empire, carries the weight of imperial power. What symbols or meanings jump out at you? Curator: Consider how portraiture on coins functioned. Domna’s likeness, carefully stylized, embodies Roman ideals of leadership and feminine virtue. But it's not just about surface appearance; it's about what that image communicated about the emperor and his family's legitimacy. What stories were they trying to tell? Editor: So, it’s like a carefully constructed piece of propaganda, meant to shape public perception? Curator: Precisely. And the wear and tear on the coin – its very physicality – becomes another layer of meaning, a trace of its journey through time and hands. It's cultural memory, encoded in metal. Editor: That’s fascinating. I never considered how much a single coin could reveal. Curator: Indeed. Images are never neutral; they always carry cultural and emotional baggage.