As of Otacilia Severa 248

Curator: This is "As of Otacilia Severa", a bronze coin currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels heavy, burdened by history. The oxidation creates an almost ghostly effect, obscuring the images. Curator: Indeed. The choice of bronze as a material speaks to its ubiquity, a currency meant for broad circulation during Otacilia's reign as Empress. Consider the labor invested in minting so many of these. Editor: And each one carrying her image, propagating a carefully constructed representation of imperial power. Look at the veiled figure on the reverse side – a symbol of piety, perhaps? Curator: Very possibly, but also consider the economy of the Roman Empire and what kind of purchasing power this held and how it fueled so many other artistic creations. Editor: A fascinating point. This coin, then, is both artifact and icon, a conduit to understanding a complex society. Curator: Exactly. It shows the intersection of labor, power, and representation. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way before. It makes you wonder about the lives this coin touched.