Coin of Nikomedeia under Antoninus Pius c. 2th century

Curator: This is a coin of Nikomedeia under Antoninus Pius, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. The coin weighs 7.68 grams. Editor: It looks like time itself has sculpted its surface, leaving an almost ghostly relief. Curator: Indeed. The material itself, likely bronze or a similar alloy, tells a story of production and trade networks in that era. Editor: Considering Antoninus Pius, it embodies a period of relative stability, doesn’t it? Power structures made manifest in everyday exchange. Curator: The coin’s small size is deceptive; it circulated widely, embedding Roman authority into daily life through materiality. Editor: It truly makes you reflect on how such a small token could represent so much political and social weight. Curator: Exactly! An artifact of labor, an object of power. Editor: Yes, a powerful reminder of the intersection between identity and authority.