Denarius of Septimius Severus c. 197

Curator: Here we have a Denarius of Septimius Severus, residing in the Harvard Art Museums. What are your first thoughts? Editor: Well, for something so small, it feels incredibly weighty. It’s like holding a tiny piece of an empire, worn smooth by time and touch. Curator: Indeed. Coins were powerful propaganda tools. This one presents a portrait of Septimius Severus, the emperor, projecting an image of strength and authority. Editor: And on the reverse, a figure stands with what looks like a cornucopia. Symbolism overload! This person is important, right? I wonder what their story is. Curator: Likely a personification of abundance, emphasizing prosperity under Severus' rule, or potentially a goddess, such as Pax, Concordia, or Felicitas. Editor: So it’s not just money, but a claim, a brand, a carefully constructed message hammered into metal. I get a sense of the emperor’s desire to assert his power. Curator: Precisely. And that desire echoes across millennia, reminding us that even the smallest objects can carry immense cultural weight. Editor: It definitely gives you pause, doesn't it? To think about all those hands this has passed through, all the transactions it witnessed. Pretty profound for pocket change.