Coin of Thessalonike under the Emperor Gordian III c. 3th century

Curator: Well, this is a coin from Thessalonike, minted during the reign of Emperor Gordian III. Its presence here at the Harvard Art Museums makes me wonder about the journeys it has taken across time. Editor: It looks like something unearthed from a pirate's treasure chest, all tarnished and worn. I love the mystery of it, the countless hands it must have passed through. Curator: The coin bears the Emperor's profile, and on the reverse, likely an image tied to the city itself. Coins like these weren't just currency; they were visual propaganda, symbols of power and civic identity. Editor: Makes you think about the stories this little object could tell, eh? What it bought, what hands it exchanged. It is more than money; it is a little echo of history. Curator: Absolutely. It’s a tangible link to a distant past, reminding us of the enduring human need for connection and representation. Editor: That is a lovely thought... all that power reduced to this small scale, yet still resonating across the ages.