Antoninianus of Philip I, Rome c. 3th century

Curator: This is an Antoninianus of Philip I, also known as Philip the Arab. Editor: It looks worn and small, but I am struck by the details that remain in the portrait. Curator: As currency, this object speaks to the material conditions of the Roman Empire under Philip I. Its very creation was tied to political power and the needs of the state. Editor: Absolutely. Coins like these were tools to distribute imperial imagery and messages. The presence of such artifacts within museum settings also shapes how we access and interpret history. Curator: Indeed. And the physical deterioration tells a story of its own. The wear suggests extensive handling and circulation, marking it as a commonplace object of the time. Editor: It really brings the past into focus, doesn't it? I find myself thinking about the hands it passed through, the transactions it facilitated, and how it connects the Roman Empire to our modern institutions.