Sestertius of Lucius Verus c. 2th century

Curator: This is a Sestertius, bearing the likeness of Lucius Verus, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Its worn texture gives it a certain gravity. Editor: Indeed. The material condition speaks volumes. Think of the hands it passed through, the marketplaces it witnessed. What a history embedded in that copper alloy. Curator: And consider the semiotics! The profile, the imperial iconography... the coin itself functions as a signifier of power, of economic control. Editor: Precisely. Power, rendered tangible through labor. I’d like to know more about the conditions in which these were minted – the exploitation inherent in resource extraction. Curator: These coins were carefully considered designs, beyond just their material value and the labor to produce them. Editor: Agreed, both are important, and the synthesis brings fresh insights. Curator: A fascinating object to contemplate.