coin of Pergamon under Gordian III c. 3th century

Curator: Here we have a coin of Pergamon under Gordian III, a bronze piece held in the Harvard Art Museums, weighing 11 grams. It seems quite eroded. Editor: Yes, the patina veils the figures, yet the remaining details possess a certain somber beauty. Curator: Note the emperor's profile on one side—the crisp lines denoting his features against the worn metal ground. Editor: And the figure on the other side, likely a depiction of a goddess, speaks volumes about the pantheon in Pergamon and its symbolic power dynamics. Curator: Precisely. Through form and composition, the artist created a potent symbol of power and divine connection. Editor: Which, of course, was leveraged within a complex social and political landscape. It's hard not to think about what currency really represents: value, exchange, and the structures that uphold those ideas. Curator: It's fascinating how such a small object can be so dense in meaning and aesthetic intention. Editor: Absolutely, seeing this artifact invites us to reflect on the stories it silently carries from the past.