Denarius of Septimius Severus c. 199

Editor: Here we have a Denarius of Septimius Severus from the Harvard Art Museums. The craftsmanship is fascinating, especially considering it's a coin, a functional object. What can you tell me about its significance? Curator: Notice how the material, silver, inherently carries economic and political weight. The labor to extract, refine, and mint it wasn't just artistic; it fueled and symbolized Roman power. What does its circulation tell us about the flow of resources and influence at the time? Editor: So, it's not just an image of power, but a piece of power itself, literally circulating! Curator: Precisely. Consider its wear, tear. Consumption and exchange marked it, diminishing its value with each transaction. It's a history worn into the metal itself. Editor: I see, so even something as simple as a coin shows the intersection of labor, material, and power. Curator: Indeed. The coin is not just an image but a material object embedded in economic and social practices.