Coin of Mesembria under Gordian III and Tranquilina c. 3th century

Curator: This is a coin from Mesembria under Gordian III and Tranquilina, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The coin weighs just over 13 grams. Editor: It's remarkable how much history is etched onto such a small, unassuming object. I immediately think of power and legacy. Curator: Absolutely. Coins served as potent symbols of imperial authority. The dual portrait likely symbolizes a dynastic alliance or perhaps the deification of Tranquilina alongside Gordian. Editor: I see a deliberate effort to establish legitimacy, projecting an image of a stable, unified empire, particularly to those who handled the coin daily. Curator: Indeed, the imagery speaks volumes about the propaganda strategies employed by Roman rulers to maintain control and shape public perception. Editor: To hold this coin is to touch a piece of carefully constructed narrative, a message sent across centuries about power, image, and control. Curator: A pocket-sized monument, if you will. Editor: Precisely, and one that still resonates with echoes of a distant past.