Antoninianus of Tetricus I 270 - 273

Editor: This is an Antoninianus coin of Tetricus I, and its worn surface speaks volumes to me. What symbols or cultural memories do you think this coin holds? Curator: Look closely. The radiate crown on Tetricus's portrait symbolizes the sun, an association with divine power and perhaps the emperor's hope for restoration during a tumultuous time. What does the figure on the reverse suggest to you? Editor: Maybe security or hope? Curator: Precisely! The figure is likely Pax, the Roman goddess of peace, holding an olive branch. The choice of Pax suggests an aspiration, a visual plea for stability during the fracturing of the Roman Empire. Each element acts as a symbolic vessel. Editor: That's a powerful connection. I see how symbols become historical narratives. Curator: Indeed, even a small coin can echo the ambitions and anxieties of an era.