Antoninianus of Diocletian 296 - 297

Curator: Here we have an Antoninianus of Diocletian, a small coin now residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels quite heavy, burdened by time and the weight of empire. The patina is striking, a vibrant turquoise against the reddish brown. Curator: The coin's materials and production tell a fascinating story of imperial control. Its copper alloy reveals the resource management and minting processes of the late Roman Empire. Editor: Absolutely. The imagery on the coin - Diocletian himself on one side, figures making sacrifice on the other - speaks of power, piety, and the ruler's divinely ordained role. Curator: Indeed, such imagery reinforced Diocletian's authority, though I'm particularly drawn to how the coin itself circulated, entering into everyday economies and social exchanges. Editor: A tiny object imbued with potent symbolism, circulating through a vast empire, carrying the weight of its emperor's image and ideology. Curator: Precisely. This little coin offers us a remarkable lens through which to view Diocletian's reign and the material realities of the late Roman world. Editor: A tangible connection to a distant past, both imposing and surprisingly intimate.