Sestertius of Philip I c. 3th century

Curator: Here we have a sestertius of Philip I, often called Philip the Arab. Editor: It looks incredibly weighty; I can almost feel the cool, worn metal just looking at it. Curator: It’s more than just a coin; it’s a piece of Roman history molded by the hands of its laborers, meant to circulate, trade, and build an empire, quite literally! Editor: And Philip, immortalized in profile – I wonder if he ever held one of these himself, contemplating his legacy. These ancient objects are like little time capsules, aren't they? Curator: Exactly! It speaks to the daily lives, the political machinations, the very sinews of a long-lost society, all pressed into copper alloy. Editor: It’s so grounding, thinking about how something so small once held so much power and promise. Curator: It’s a tangible echo of ambition and toil. Editor: That makes me wonder about the hands it passed through!