Denarius of Sex. Pompeius Fostlus, Rome c. 137

Curator: Up next we have a small, silver coin, or Denarius, issued by Sex. Pompeius Fostlus in Rome. Editor: It has a mythical, rugged kind of beauty, you know? Feels like holding a little piece of ancient legend. Curator: The imagery definitely evokes that. We see a helmeted head on one side, likely a Roman deity, and on the other a scene with Romulus and Remus suckling the she-wolf. Editor: That’s it! It has this wild, almost feral energy to it. The wolf protecting those tiny humans… it’s a powerful symbol, even now. Curator: Absolutely. Fostlus was likely drawing on potent cultural narratives about the founding of Rome, and this coin was one way to connect to and further those stories. Editor: Imagine carrying that in your pocket every day, a constant reminder of your city's origins. Food for thought in a small package. Curator: Indeed. These objects, though small, carried a lot of political and cultural weight. Editor: It’s fascinating how a tiny coin can hold such a grand story. Curator: Precisely. These kinds of objects teach us so much about people and their world.