Follis of Diocletian, Heraclea 296 - 297

Editor: This intriguing coin, a Follis of Diocletian, is currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's amazing to consider Diocletian himself as the artist. What's striking is how much cultural memory is packed into such a small, everyday object. What do you see when you look at this coin? Curator: For me, this coin is an entire narrative compressed into a tiny, portable format. The profile of Diocletian, crowned with laurel, speaks volumes about power and authority. Yet, the figure on the reverse—likely a representation of Genius, the spirit of the Roman people—suggests a reliance on something beyond the Emperor himself. What does that duality suggest to you? Editor: It makes me think about how power relies on both individual strength and the collective will, a relationship this coin visually embodies. I hadn't considered the Genius figure in that light. Curator: Indeed. The coin’s symbols reveal the intricate dance between ruler and ruled, a dynamic that resonates even today. It shows us how even mundane objects can hold deep cultural meaning. Editor: I'll definitely look at coins differently from now on!