Sestertius of Commodus c. 186 - 187

Curator: Here we have a Sestertius, a Roman coin minted during the reign of Commodus. The coin's weight tells us about the economic system and the value placed on materials in ancient Rome. Editor: It feels like a fossil, doesn’t it? Something heavy with history, yet small enough to hold in your hand. The ghostly image… it’s like holding a memory. Curator: The production of these coins was highly controlled; this served to disseminate imperial imagery and ideology. Editor: To think of all the hands it must have passed through, all the transactions it witnessed. A little piece of the past, whispering stories of trade and power. Curator: Indeed. It speaks volumes about labor, about the state’s reach, and about the emperor's image management. Editor: It really does bring the era to life, in a strangely intimate way.