Quinarius of Allectus, Londinium c. 293 - 296

Curator: Here we have a Quinarius of Allectus, minted in Londinium. It is currently held in the collections of the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Its aged bronze radiates history. I see a ship, a symbol of power and movement, yet also of fragility against the vastness. Curator: Absolutely. Coins like this were crucial in establishing Allectus's authority in Roman Britain. Minting currency legitimized his rule. Editor: It feels heavy with the weight of ambition, doesn’t it? A tiny object embodying a huge power grab. Curator: Precisely. It speaks volumes about the complex political landscape and Allectus's efforts to cement his place in it. Editor: Makes you wonder about the hands it passed through, the stories it could tell. Curator: A material link to a pivotal, turbulent era. Editor: It's remarkable how objects like this can condense history into something tangible.