Coin of Amphipolis under Faustina I c. 2th century

Curator: Here we have a coin of Amphipolis under Faustina I, now held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks ancient and worn, like a dream half-remembered. So much history etched into such a tiny surface. Curator: Indeed. Faustina I, wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius, was deified after her death. Coins like this were instruments of imperial propaganda and social cohesion. Editor: To think, someone held this, spent it, felt its weight... it's a tangible link to a whole world. The patina is incredible. Curator: Absolutely. It also reminds us how carefully constructed the image of Roman imperial women was, and how meticulously that image was circulated. Editor: Makes you wonder about the stories this coin could tell, if it could speak! Curator: It does whisper tales of empire, doesn’t it? A reminder of the power of visual representation. Editor: I’ll never look at a coin the same way again. It has a whole life behind it.