Denarius of Severus Alexander c. 228

Curator: I see a little world, compressed in this silver disc. Editor: Indeed. This is a denarius of Severus Alexander, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Curator: There's a solemn weight to it. I imagine countless transactions, carried in someone's pocket. Editor: Absolutely. The image of the emperor on one side, a deity on the other, tells a story of power and belief deeply entrenched in Roman daily life. It's not just currency; it's propaganda. Curator: A pocket-sized monument to empire. It makes you wonder about the hands it passed through, the stories it silently witnessed. A tangible piece of history. Editor: Right, these objects speak volumes about the societal structures and value systems of their time, inviting us to reflect on our own contemporary equivalents.