Coin of Resaina under Elagabalus after 218

Curator: We're looking at a coin from Resaina, issued under Elagabalus, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, weighing just 5.67 grams. Editor: It feels like holding history in your hand, doesn't it? Small, worn, but whispers of a whole world. Melancholy, almost. Curator: The coin presents a fascinating study in numismatic art; the iconography, though degraded, offers insights into the emperor's self-presentation and the economic policies of his reign. Editor: Degraded it may be, but I see a certain beauty in the imperfections. Time has sculpted its own narrative here, a dance between power and decay. Curator: Indeed, each mark, each imperfection, contributes to the coin's unique material history and structural composition. Editor: It's a reminder that even the most potent symbols eventually succumb. Powerful stuff. Curator: Yes, an excellent point. Editor: I agree.