Antoninianus of Quintillian 270

Curator: This is an Antoninianus, a Roman coin featuring Quintillian. The coin weighs about 4.27 grams and is part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: The wear and tear are striking. You can almost feel the history embedded in its very matter. What was it made from, do we know? Curator: These coins were typically made of silver, although the silver content often varied and debased over time. It illustrates the fiscal policies of the period. Editor: The debasement speaks volumes about the economic pressures and resource management. Mass production meets material reality. It’s more than currency; it’s a record of practical considerations. Curator: Exactly, and beyond its monetary value, these coins played a vital role in communicating imperial power and ideology. Editor: Seeing the process of decline and necessity made visible in a humble coin transforms our understanding. Curator: Indeed, it shows how economic and political forces directly impact the materials and imagery we see. Editor: It reminds us that art is always enmeshed with the social and material conditions of its creation.