Sestertius of Gordian III 241 - 244

Curator: Look at this Sestertius of Gordian III. There’s something haunting about the way time and use have worn it down. Editor: It feels heavy, doesn’t it? Like concentrated power. That reddish-brown patina on the bronze shows both its age and the labor involved in its creation. Curator: Exactly! I imagine the artisan carefully striking this image, forever imprinting young Gordian's profile into the metal. It is a kind of immortality through labor, really. Editor: Immortality paid for with someone's sweat, no doubt. I find it interesting how a tool of commerce becomes a symbol of an emperor. Curator: Perhaps they are not so different. I see a vulnerability here, too, the way its imperfections humanize it. Editor: Perhaps the true value lies not in the metal itself, but in the stories and exchanges it facilitated. Curator: You're right, both materially and symbolically, it's a powerful object. It makes you wonder what future generations will think of our own currency. Editor: Indeed. A poignant reminder that even empires fade, but the dirt and metal often remains.