Sestertius of Antoninus Pius c. 154 - 155

Curator: Here we have a Sestertius of Antoninus Pius, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's a humble looking thing. Dark, worn smooth in places. Holding it, I bet you could almost feel the echoes of its past life humming against your palm. Curator: Indeed. Coins like this weren't just money; they were propaganda. Antoninus Pius's image, carefully crafted, was circulated throughout the empire. Editor: Like a miniature meme! Only, instead of going viral online, it went viral across roads and seas. The artist even immortalized a seated female figure on one side, possibly representing a goddess. Curator: Precisely, it also served to reinforce Roman values and project an image of imperial stability and prosperity. The choice of imagery mattered enormously. Editor: It's amazing to think something so small could carry so much weight – history, power, art – all pressed into a coin. Curator: And that is precisely why we are still talking about it today, isn't it?