Dupondius of Antoninus Pius c. 140 - 143

Curator: This is a Dupondius of Antoninus Pius, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. The coin itself weighs just over 12 grams. Editor: There's something haunting about the surface texture—the way time has subtly eroded the features. I'm drawn to the muted palette of browns and greens. Curator: Consider the coin's materiality as a product of imperial power. Its very existence facilitated trade, taxation, and the projection of Roman authority. Editor: Yet, beyond its function, the composition is quite striking. The profile of Antoninus Pius, though worn, maintains a regal bearing, set against the circular form. Curator: Yes, and how this small object circulated, passed through countless hands, each exchange a tiny transaction in a vast economic network. Editor: A humbling thought, really, to see such grandeur reduced to a pocket-sized token. It’s a powerful study in contrast and scale. Curator: Indeed. It makes you appreciate the complex, intertwined histories embedded within this single coin. Editor: It does. A tangible link to the past, shaped by human hands, and the forces of time.