Coin of Caesarea Panias under Septimius Severus c. 193 - 211

Editor: This is a coin from Caesarea Panias under Septimius Severus, residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite small, but what stories it could tell! What intrigues me most is the patina—it speaks of age and history. What do you make of it? Curator: For me, it whispers of power and ambition. Septimius Severus, a man from North Africa, seizing control of Rome! Imagine holding this, knowing it once jingled in pockets as he reshaped an empire. The coin's very existence testifies to his legacy, doesn’t it? What do you feel it represents? Editor: I never thought about it that way! It does make me realize how objects can really embody history.