Follis of Maximinus II, Alexandria 311

Editor: This is a Follis of Maximinus II from Alexandria. It’s attributed to Maximinus Daia. It's small and made of what seems like bronze. What strikes me is how the act of minting transformed raw metal into a tool of imperial power. What do you make of it? Curator: Absolutely. The coin’s material composition and method of production reveal much about the Roman economy and social hierarchy. Who controlled the mines, the workshops? Who profited from its distribution? These are key questions. Editor: I hadn’t considered the mines! So it’s not just about the final image, but the whole production chain? Curator: Precisely. The object itself becomes a record of labor, trade, and political control. Thinking about it in this way, it gives us a different view of Roman history. Editor: I'll never look at a coin the same way again.