Denarius of Elagabalus c. 220 - 222

Editor: This is a Denarius of Elagabalus. What strikes me is how something so small could wield so much power and tell us a lot about the ruler! How do you interpret this work? Curator: Coins like this were propaganda tools. Elagabalus's image, carefully crafted, sought to legitimize his rule, particularly after the chaos of the preceding years. How do you think the public received this imagery, given his controversial religious practices? Editor: It's easy to see how he might have used this as a way to stay in power, especially when there might have been pushback on his religious views. Curator: Precisely! The coin serves as a tangible example of how imperial power operated, attempting to control public perception through controlled imagery and symbolic messaging. Editor: I never thought of coins that way, what an insightful way to consider the importance of this coin!