Coin of Berytus under Caracalla c. 188 - 217

Editor: Here we have a coin of Berytus, presumably minted under Caracalla. It's a bronze piece and it looks very worn. What can we learn from something so small and seemingly insignificant? Curator: It's easy to underestimate the power of objects like this, isn't it? This coin isn’t just currency; it's propaganda, a statement of imperial power circulating through society. Caracalla’s image, carefully presented, would have reinforced his authority. Editor: So, it's a kind of early form of mass media? Curator: Precisely. And, more than that, it speaks to the interconnectedness of the Roman world and the local economies. It asks us to consider the relationship between the emperor in Rome and the people of Berytus. What messages were they receiving, and how did they internalize them? Editor: I never thought a coin could be so revealing. Curator: That's the beauty of art history – even the smallest object can unlock vast historical and cultural narratives.