Sestertius of Julia Maesa 218 - 223

Curator: This sestertius, a bronze coin, features Julia Maesa, a powerful woman from Roman Syria who played a key role in placing her grandsons on the imperial throne. Editor: It feels so weighty, doesn't it? Not just literally at 20.59 grams, but symbolically. A tangible assertion of female power in a patriarchal world. Curator: Precisely. Coinage was a powerful propaganda tool. Maesa's image and inscriptions reinforced her authority and legitimized her family's rule within the complex web of Roman imperial politics. Editor: I’m struck by the contrast between the idealized portrait and the gritty, worn surface. It speaks volumes about the lived realities of power, then and now. Curator: Indeed, these coins offer invaluable insights into how powerful women navigated and shaped Roman society. Editor: Reflecting on the narratives surrounding this coin leaves me pondering legacies and how power is constructed.