Antoninianus of Gallienus c. 3th century

Editor: Here we have an Antoninianus, a coin of Gallienus, at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks worn and weathered, but I can make out some details. How would you interpret its historical significance? Curator: This coin speaks volumes about power and propaganda in the Roman Empire. Consider how these objects, mass-produced and circulated, were potent tools for disseminating the emperor's image and projecting authority. What do you think the condition of the coin suggests? Editor: That the emperor's image was quite literally worn away? Curator: Precisely! A reminder that even the most powerful empires eventually crumble. Editor: Thank you! I'll remember that.