Antoninianus of Valerian I c. 3th century

Editor: Here we have the Antoninianus of Valerian I housed at the Harvard Art Museums, a small coin with a weighty history. What symbols and stories do you see etched into this artifact? Curator: It is a fascinating piece of cultural memory. Coins like these are never just currency; they are deliberate image-making. What power lies in controlling representation? Editor: I never thought of it that way. So, the Emperor's portrait acts as a kind of symbol for the entire Roman Empire? Curator: Precisely. Consider the eagle, the laurel wreath – each a potent emblem designed to project authority, stability, and divine favour. The coin speaks volumes about how the Roman Empire wanted to be perceived. Editor: It's amazing how much history can be held in something so small. Curator: Indeed. The coin offers a tangible link to the past, inviting us to contemplate the narratives societies construct through visual language.