Sestertius of Faustina I c. 2th century

Curator: What a wonderfully worn piece! This is a sestertius, a Roman bronze coin, of Faustina I. Editor: It looks incredibly tactile, almost begging to be held despite its obvious weathering. It makes me think about what hands might have held it. Curator: Exactly. These weren't just currencies; they were tools of imperial propaganda, distributed widely to project power and ideals. Faustina, as the wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius, became a powerful image, even after her death. Editor: So, by handling this object, one encountered a visual representation of the Roman state and their leadership. I suppose that’s a lot of power loaded into a single coin. Curator: Yes, the sheer volume of these coins and the ways in which they were used and abused shows us how materiality shapes our understanding of history. Editor: It is fascinating how a single object, seemingly small, opens up such a broad understanding of its historical and social importance.