Coin of Thessalonike under the Emperor Valerian I c. 3th century

Editor: This is a coin from Thessalonike under Emperor Valerian I. Its worn surface hints at its age and usage, and I'm curious what its imagery signified to the people who handled it daily. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The coin is less a piece of personal art and more a form of mass communication. The imagery on coins was carefully chosen to project power, legitimacy, and specific ideologies. The coin's materiality itself—its metal content and weight—communicated value and trustworthiness within the empire's economic system. How do you think this impacted the Roman citizen? Editor: It's fascinating to think of something so small carrying so much political weight. I never considered coins as tools of propaganda! Curator: Exactly! The coin reminds us that art exists not just in museums, but also in the everyday objects that shape society.