As of Antoninus Pius c. 147 - 148

Editor: This is a bronze coin, "As of Antoninus Pius," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It appears worn and aged, but I'm curious about the story it might tell. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This coin speaks volumes about power, representation, and the construction of identity. Consider the Roman Empire's use of coinage: how it circulated not just as currency, but as propaganda, projecting the emperor's image and values across vast territories. What does it mean to have one's face stamped onto a medium of exchange? Editor: So it's more than just a coin; it's a political statement? Curator: Precisely. Think about who is being represented, and whose stories are being told, or erased. Power dynamics are embedded in everyday objects like this. Considering this, how might the depiction of Antoninus Pius be interpreted through a contemporary lens, questioning the gaze and power structures inherent in portraiture? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. I guess even a small object can carry a heavy history. Curator: Indeed. It challenges us to examine the legacies of empire and representation, and to consider whose voices are amplified, and whose are silenced.