Coin of Carallia under Otacilia Severa c. 244 - 249

Editor: Here we have a coin of Carallia under Otacilia Severa, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite corroded, but you can still make out the figures on each side. What strikes you about the formal qualities of this piece? Curator: The debasement of the metal, coupled with the shallow relief, speaks volumes. Note how the effigy, though worn, still manages to project a certain imperial gravitas. Consider, too, the circular form—a self-contained world. Editor: So the form and material speak to power and perhaps its decline? Curator: Precisely. The coin's circularity echoes the cyclical nature of empires, and its degradation mirrors societal shifts. It's a study in contrasts. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about regarding the coin’s artistic language. Curator: Indeed. The very texture whispers stories of time and transformation.