Coin of Sardis under Severus Alexander c. 228

Curator: Here we have a bronze coin minted in Sardis during the reign of Severus Alexander. It’s part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It’s amazing how tactile it appears, despite being behind glass! I can almost feel the cool weight and the worn details on my fingertips. Curator: Coins like this were not just currency, but powerful tools of imperial propaganda. The image of the emperor himself, of course, but also the reverse often depicted scenes or deities that emphasized Roman power and cultural values. Editor: Absolutely. It's fascinating to consider the labor involved. The mining of the metals, the die-cutting, the actual striking of each coin… each one a small piece in a vast economic and social machine. Curator: This particular coin offered local authority, integrating local religious beliefs. A means of unifying a vast and diverse empire through shared imagery and economic exchange. Editor: Right, from the hands of the artisan to the merchant’s purse, a tangible symbol of Roman reach. Curator: It prompts one to think about how carefully those images were crafted to resonate with the various populations within the empire, speaking of imperial power, but also local concerns. Editor: An enduring and weighty reminder of a complex, material history.