Coin of Aigeai under Valerian I c. 253 - 254

Curator: The weight of history is palpable with this coin of Aigeai under Valerian I, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Its 11.85 grams connect us to an era of immense social and political change. Editor: It's immediately striking—a study in contrasts. The worn surface creates a beautiful tension with the sharp details of the imperial portrait. Curator: Absolutely. And the image on the reverse, likely depicting a local temple, speaks to the negotiation of power between the Roman center and the periphery. How did local identities persist? Editor: The composition itself draws my eye. The temple's rigid lines, softened by corrosion, become almost abstract. Curator: Indeed. What stories could this small object tell us about Roman administration, or even local resistance? Editor: It's remarkable how such a small, corroded object embodies so much about line, form, and, as you say, history. Curator: Precisely. It reminds us that even seemingly insignificant artifacts can unlock expansive narratives about identity and power. Editor: A powerful testament to how art, even in its most humble forms, can be a window to the past.