Antoninianus of Gallienus 

Curator: Here we have an Antoninianus of Gallienus from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small coin, weighing just over two grams. The metal surface has taken on a beautiful patina, hasn’t it? Editor: Indeed, the coloration is quite striking. I'm immediately drawn to the texture, that pitted surface suggesting age and the passage of time. Curator: The imagery certainly speaks to that. One side bears the likeness of Gallienus himself, while the other likely represents a deity, perhaps associated with virtues he wished to embody. Editor: I see the vestigial ghost of a portrait. It’s a fragmented language of power, obscured yet stubbornly present. The coin invites contemplation on authority and its endurance. Curator: Exactly. Coins like this weren't just currency; they were miniature propaganda tools, circulating the Emperor's image and associating him with divine power throughout the Empire. Editor: The degradation becomes part of the message, doesn't it? Power is eroded, idealized representations fade. Curator: It’s a potent reminder of the complex interplay between image, belief, and the relentless march of history. Editor: A fascinating glimpse into the symbolic weight carried by something so small, yet so resonant.