Sestertius of Philip I 

Curator: This object is a sestertius, a Roman coin of Philip I, often called Philip the Arab. Editor: The coin’s worn surface immediately evokes a sense of history and the passage of countless hands. Curator: As a material, the coin served as a direct tool for economic transaction, but it was also a propaganda piece, circulating the emperor’s image and legitimacy throughout the Roman Empire. Editor: Indeed, its imagery, though faded, tells us much about the political theatre of the era and the emperor's desired self-representation. Curator: The 18.77 grams of metal composing this coin connected distant parts of the Roman world through production, trade, and consumption. Editor: Seeing it here today prompts questions about how the Harvard Art Museums came to possess it and what role institutions play in preserving and interpreting such artifacts. Curator: Precisely, and analyzing its physical composition alongside its cultural use deepens our understanding. Editor: A tangible link to the past that stimulates reflection.