Coin of Alexandreia Troas under Severus Alexander c. 3th century

Editor: This is a coin of Alexandreia Troas under Severus Alexander at the Harvard Art Museums. Given its age, the bronze shows its history! What can you tell me about this coin? Curator: The wear and tear are important. They speak to the circulation of the coin, its role in economic exchange and social transactions within that specific city. Consider the labor involved in minting, the source of the bronze, and what its worth was in the daily lives of the people. Editor: So, it's less about the emperor's portrait and more about the coin's function in society? Curator: Exactly! The coin embodies the material conditions of its time, illustrating trade, labor, and even political power through its very existence. Editor: That's a different way of looking at it. Thanks for sharing this perspective. Curator: My pleasure; materiality provides an unexpected historical viewpoint.