Denarius of Caracalla c. 213

Curator: Here we have a Denarius of Caracalla from the Harvard Art Museums. What a strangely moving little object. It's got a certain weight to it. Editor: It's tarnished, worn, almost like a ghost of an emperor. The portrait feels surprisingly intimate, despite being so small. Curator: Coins like these were crucial for disseminating imperial propaganda and solidifying Caracalla's image throughout the Roman Empire. The imagery would have been very deliberate. Editor: And effective, I imagine. To hold power in your palm, reduced to a profile and a promise. It does feel like power, albeit slightly tragic. Curator: It speaks to the ambition of empire, and the practical ways that ambition was broadcast and received, even in the furthest reaches of Roman territory. Editor: I’m still stuck on that ghostly feeling. It's like holding a whisper of history. Curator: Yes, an echo of an empire, and a single man's reach for immortality. Editor: A poignant reminder that even emperors are just...echoes in the end.