Coin of Adramytteion under Caracalla c. 188 - 217

Curator: Here we have a coin from Adramytteion under Caracalla, a small bronze piece weighing just over 17 grams, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: There's a solemn mood to it, isn't there? The rough texture and worn details speak of its age and circulation through many hands and pockets. Curator: Indeed. Note the incuse portrait of Caracalla himself on one side, rendered in profile, and on the reverse, two figures stand in what appears to be a ritualistic scene. Editor: It speaks volumes about power, doesn’t it? The emperor’s image stamped onto currency, shaping the daily lives and transactions of people in Adramytteion. Curator: The composition guides our eye, forcing us to consider the relationship between the ruler and his subjects through visual means. Editor: It also prompts us to consider the legacies of empire. This coin is a small, tangible link to a vast and often brutal history, a reminder of both the grandeur and the oppression of Roman rule. Curator: A fascinating interplay of image and intention. Editor: Absolutely, a small object imbued with outsized significance.