Sestertius of Trebonianus Gallus c. 3th century

Editor: This is a sestertius of Trebonianus Gallus, a bronze coin at the Harvard Art Museums. Seeing how worn it is, it feels weighty, almost… haunted. What story do you think it carries? Curator: Ah, a coin that's seen better days, yet whispers of emperors and empires. To me, it's a tangible link to a world both grand and fleeting. I wonder, did it line the pockets of a Roman soldier, or did a merchant clutch it while dreaming of distant shores? Editor: That’s beautiful! Did Gallus himself ever touch it? Curator: Perhaps! Imagine him, puffed up with imperial pride, holding one fresh from the mint. Or maybe he never saw it at all, too busy with battles and backstabbing. The mystery is part of the charm, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely. It makes you wonder what our coins will say about us one day. Curator: Precisely. This little bronze disc is a mirror reflecting power, ambition, and the enduring human story. And who knows what future eyes will make of it?