Coin (AE3) of Gratian 367 - 375

Editor: Here we have a coin, an AE3 of Gratian, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's small and worn, almost like holding a piece of history itself. What kind of narratives do you see embedded in this ancient object? Curator: Coins are potent carriers of cultural memory. Consider the figure depicted – likely an emperor or deity. What message was the issuer intending to convey through their image, and how might that message have been received by the diverse populations within the empire? Editor: So, it's more than just currency; it's propaganda? Curator: Precisely. The symbols chosen reflect the values and aspirations of a particular time. How do those symbols resonate differently today, after centuries of shifting cultural landscapes? This coin is a fascinating nexus of power, representation, and enduring human narratives. Editor: I’ll definitely look at coins differently now. It’s amazing how much meaning can be packed into such a small object.