Coin of Abydos under Septimius Severus c. 2th - 3th century

Editor: Here we have a Coin of Abydos under Septimius Severus from the Harvard Art Museums. It's incredible how a small object like this can speak volumes. What symbols do you see embedded within this coin? Curator: This coin whispers of power and divinity. Septimius Severus, in placing his likeness on currency, evokes the symbolic weight of Roman authority. But what of the reverse image? Do you see the animal? Editor: Yes, it looks like a jackal or dog. Curator: Indeed. In Abydos, the jackal was sacred to Anubis, the god of the afterlife. The image on the coin bridges the Roman present with the deep, pre-Roman past, linking Severus to the immortality Anubis promises. What emotions does this pairing evoke in you? Editor: It’s fascinating how it blends cultures and beliefs. I guess I hadn't considered how much a single coin could tell us! Curator: Precisely. This coin reminds us that images, even on the smallest scale, are potent carriers of memory and meaning.