Coin of Bostra under Julia Mamaea c. 3th century

Curator: Here we have a coin, attributed to Julia Mamaea, from Bostra. It's currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: What a tiny, weighty thing. It looks as though it's been through so much, bearing secrets of hands and pockets and transactions. Curator: It's fascinating to consider the Roman trade routes involved in its creation and circulation, isn't it? The materiality of the metal speaks to the economic systems at play. Editor: Absolutely. But I'm also struck by how her face persists, a quiet echo of power and authority. It's amazing to consider her so present, so literally in the hands of the common person. Curator: It also suggests the way in which even mundane objects are imprinted with the political. Editor: It gives a very literal meaning to the phrase "a piece of history," doesn't it?