Denarius of Cn. Plancius Cn.f., Rome c. 55 BCE

Curator: This is a Roman silver coin, a Denarius issued by Cn. Plancius. One side shows a bust of Diana, and the other, a Cretan goat. Editor: There's something so haunting about seeing such an old piece of metal. I mean, it's gorgeous in its simplicity, but also weighted with all that it has been. Curator: The materiality is key, isn't it? Silver would have been both valuable and easily worked, a perfect medium for disseminating political imagery. Editor: Right, and the goat, possibly a reference to Plancius' family origins. So, craft meeting propaganda! Curator: Exactly! It just goes to show, even the smallest object can carry immense cultural weight. Editor: You're right; a whole universe is etched into this little disc.