Denarius of Elagabalus c. 219 - 220

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this Denarius of Elagabalus, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums and weighing a mere 2.61 grams. Editor: It feels almost insignificant at first glance, yet radiates a strange power, like a whispered secret from a forgotten empire. Curator: Precisely. Consider the material, likely silver, readily available but carefully die-struck, disseminating the emperor’s image and, thus, his power throughout the realm. Mass production on a miniature scale. Editor: I love thinking about where this little coin has travelled, the hands it's passed through. Imagine it being exchanged for something as simple as bread, or perhaps even a furtive glance. It's a vessel for stories, isn’t it? Curator: Absolutely. Its value resided not just in the silver content, but in the message it conveyed, a constant reminder of Roman authority and economic reach. Editor: It's funny how something so small can carry so much weight—of history, of power, of human exchange. Curator: Indeed, it’s a humble object speaking volumes, a potent blend of materiality and messaging, reflecting a very peculiar, and somewhat scandalous ruler.