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

Curator: Let's discuss this intriguing bronze coin of Hadrianopolis-Sebaste under Septimius Severus. Editor: Immediately striking is its eroded surface, which adds a layer of complexity to the imagery. The texture creates a sense of time and antiquity. Curator: Indeed. The coin is not just currency, it is a symbolic carrier, a tangible link to the reign of Septimius Severus, embedding his authority into daily life. Editor: The composition—profile portrait on one side, a standing figure on the other—reflects a deliberate visual order. The figure's pose and attributes seem to communicate power, but subtly. Curator: Precisely. The figure, most likely a deity or personification, represents the values and ideals of the empire, a deliberate construction of cultural memory. Editor: The metal itself, dulled and patinated, invites us to imagine the hands that held it, the transactions it facilitated, the stories it silently witnessed. Curator: And that is exactly the power of an object like this—a small token bearing immense symbolic weight, resonating across centuries. Editor: It really makes you think about how something so small can evoke such a sense of history.