Coin of Amaseia (?) under Lucius Verus 161 - 169

Curator: Here we have a coin, identified as a Coin of Amaseia (?) under Lucius Verus, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. The coin weighs in at 24.02 grams. Editor: Honestly, the texture grabs me first. It feels ancient, worn smooth by time and touch. Like holding a tiny, weighty secret from a forgotten empire. Curator: Indeed. The corrosion patterns, the almost illegible inscriptions, they all contribute to a sense of palimpsestic depth. Layers of history revealed through decay. Editor: I wonder who held it last? What were they buying? A loaf of bread, a bit of gossip, maybe just a moment's escape from whatever daily grind they faced? Curator: Functionally, it was a means of exchange. But aesthetically, the circular form, the bas-relief imagery, they participate in a much larger symbolic order. Editor: Well, to me, it's less about order and more about mystery. This small object speaks volumes about what remains unseen, and what we can only imagine. Curator: Agreed. It is a testament to the enduring power of objects to embody historical narratives, however fragmented. Editor: Makes you think, doesn't it? What stories will our coins, our objects, tell about us in two thousand years?