Antoninianus of Claudius II c. 3th century

Curator: This is an Antoninianus of Claudius II Gothicus, a Roman coin currently held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It looks worn, almost ghostly. I see a faint figure, but the details are obscured by time and corrosion. Curator: Indeed. These coins served not only as currency but also as imperial propaganda. Consider the imagery: the emperor's portrait on one side, a deity on the other. Editor: Propaganda, yes, but also tangible symbols of power circulating through society, impacting perceptions of leadership and divine right. What does it mean that this object, once so potent, is now fragmented? Curator: The coin’s degradation speaks volumes about the instability of power and the passage of time, shifting meanings shaped by socio-political conditions. Editor: Exactly. And how we choose to interpret these relics today reflects our own biases and power structures. Food for thought. Curator: Absolutely. It's a reminder that history is always a dialogue between past and present.