Antoninianus of Probus 277 - 282

Curator: This Antoninianus of Probus, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, speaks volumes despite its small size. Editor: It definitely has a weathered, earthy feel—like something unearthed after centuries, holding secrets. Curator: Absolutely. As a piece of currency from the Roman Empire, it represents so much about labor, the control of resources, and the value placed on material exchange. Editor: And who that exchange benefits—the emperor, in this case, whose likeness would have legitimized power structures of the time. Curator: Exactly. The materiality of the coin, likely bronze, also reflects the access to and control of certain metals within the Empire's vast reach. Editor: It's a small object but so rich with layered meaning, power dynamics, and social history. Curator: Indeed—a tangible link to a distant past and complex empire. Editor: A history we can almost feel through the worn surface.