Coin of Zeugma under Antoninus Pius c. 138 - 161

Curator: Oh, look at this coin. It feels like it's whispering secrets from a world long past. Editor: Absolutely. What we're looking at is a coin from Zeugma, minted during the reign of Antoninus Pius. It weighs just over 10 grams and is part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Curator: It's incredible to think of the hands this little piece has passed through. The portrait… it’s worn, yes, but there's a dignity in that profile, a real human presence. Almost melancholic. Editor: The presence of the Emperor on coinage was a powerful tool. Currency wasn't merely economic exchange; it was a constant reminder of power structures and political authority. Curator: Do you think the artist felt anything while carving his image? Editor: Probably. A little piece of themselves will remain on the coin forever. Curator: And that's the magic, isn’t it? The conversation across time. Editor: Precisely. It grounds theoretical discussions of power and empire in the tangible reality of human experience.