Sestertius of Gordian III 238 - 244

Editor: This bronze Sestertius, made under Emperor Gordian III, is fascinating! It's so worn, yet it still transmits power. What symbols stand out to you in this piece? Curator: The Emperor's profile, though degraded, still speaks volumes. Coins functioned as propaganda. What message would this image of Gordian III have sent? Editor: Authority, maybe? His gaze seems firm. Curator: Precisely. And on the reverse, the standing figure? She embodies a virtue, like Abundance or Victory. Such representations were meant to legitimize and perpetuate the Emperor's reign in the minds of the people. Editor: So, it's not just money, it's memory made material? Curator: Exactly! Each coin, a mini-monument to power, circulating through the empire, shaping perceptions. Editor: I never thought of coins as memory devices before. Thank you.