Coin of Aigeai under Valerian I c. 253 - 254

Editor: Here we have a coin of Aigeai under Valerian I, residing at the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes me is the obvious wear and tear. How does this object speak to the passage of time and power structures? Curator: Exactly. This coin, minted under Valerian I, isn't just currency; it's a statement of Roman imperial power projected onto a local economy. Consider how its imagery would have been received in Aigeai. Editor: So, how did the local population view it? Curator: That's the crucial question. Was it a symbol of integration, or of subjugation? Its condition suggests circulation, but also perhaps resistance to its imposed value. Editor: That's fascinating. I never considered the coin as a contested object before. Curator: Precisely! It allows us to re-evaluate power dynamics through a uniquely material and widely-disseminated medium.