Coin (AE2) of Magnentius, Lugdunum c. 350 - 353

Curator: We’re looking at an AE2 coin of Magnentius, minted in Lugdunum, and part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Its patinated surface creates an amazing texture, doesn't it? A somber piece, in a way. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the labor involved in its production. The mining of the metal, the die-making, the striking of each individual coin. It speaks volumes about the Roman economy and its reliance on enslaved labor. Editor: And what about the formal qualities of the images? One side features a profile portrait, the other what seems to be a depiction of victory. There is a clear contrast between the micro and macro scales here. Curator: Yes, and those images become tools for propaganda. Each coin carries and spreads a message of imperial power and authority across a vast territory. Editor: So, both form and context are interconnected. Fascinating, really. Curator: Indeed, it reveals so much about the time.