Coin of Heliopolis, Otacilia Severa c. 244 - 249

Curator: This is a bronze coin of Otacilia Severa from Heliopolis, held in the collections of the Harvard Art Museums. It weighs just under 19 grams. Editor: Its patination creates a unified surface, almost obscuring the original designs. What details can we discern? Curator: The obverse bears a portrait of Otacilia Severa herself, while the reverse depicts what appears to be two figures standing side by side. Editor: Coins like these were more than just currency. They were powerful symbols of imperial authority and cultural identity. The portrait of the empress served to legitimize her rule and project an image of power and stability. Curator: Indeed, the coin’s composition, its very design, was carefully planned to communicate specific messages about the empire’s values and aspirations. Editor: Seeing the images worn with time only deepens the sense of history held within this small, weighty object. Curator: It’s a fascinating material record of a distant past.