Radiate Fraction of Galerius, Rome 297 - 298

Editor: This is a Radiate Fraction of Galerius, Rome. The materiality strikes me; it is worn and weathered. What does this reveal to you about its place in society? Curator: Consider the material composition, probably bronze, and its small size. Its materiality suggests a mass-produced object, intended for wide circulation and consumption within the Roman economy. Editor: So its value resides in its circulation rather than its inherent preciousness? Curator: Precisely. The wear and tear speaks to its journey through countless hands, a tangible link to the labor and commerce of the time. Editor: That’s fascinating. I had not considered it in such a concrete way.