Coin of Resaina under Elagabalus c. 3th century

Curator: This is a coin from Resaina, minted under the reign of Elagabalus, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Its surface is so abraded, it's like gazing at a ghost. What once was a sharp, delineated image is now a field of muted tones. Curator: Yes, but consider Elagabalus himself—a figure whose reign was marked by religious upheaval and challenges to traditional Roman norms. This coin embodies that disruption. Editor: The way the metal has worn, though, it almost obscures the original intent. The forms are barely recognizable, leaving the viewer to project their own meanings. Curator: Exactly. It becomes a lens through which we can examine the social and political anxieties of the time, and our own interpretations through a contemporary lens. Editor: It's a reminder that even something as seemingly concrete as a coin is ultimately subject to the passage of time and subjective readings. Curator: Indeed, a small object holding vast narratives of power, identity, and interpretation.