Denarius of M. Plaetorius M.f. Cestianus, Rome c. 69 BCE

Editor: This is a Denarius, a Roman coin, by M. Plaetorius M.f. Cestianus. It's silver and quite small. Seeing both sides like this, I wonder about the labor involved in minting so many of these coins. What do you make of its production? Curator: The production of these coins speaks volumes about the Roman economy and social structure. Minting was carefully controlled, think about access to silver, labor organization, and the power dynamics inherent in controlling currency. What kind of narratives might this small object tell about Roman labor? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the sheer scale and control needed. It makes you think about the resources involved. Curator: Exactly. It's a small object, but it connects us to the vast economic and social networks of ancient Rome.