Denarius of C. Considius Paetus, Rome c. 46 BCE

Editor: Here we have a Roman coin, a denarius of C. Considius Paetus. It’s amazing to hold something so old, isn't it? There's a head with a helmet on one side and horses on the other. What stories do you imagine when you look at this? Curator: Oh, I let my mind wander back to the Roman Republic. Look at that fierce, almost severe portrait – it's like a tiny, portable statement of power. But what thrills me is thinking about the everyday lives it touched. This coin passed through so many hands... Editor: A tangible link to history! I hadn’t thought about the daily transactions. Curator: Exactly! Imagine the baker, the soldier, the merchant... each exchanging goods and ideas. And the imagery? The goddess Roma on one side, a chariot race on the other – a snapshot of Roman identity, all on a tiny silver disc. A symbol, don't you agree? Editor: Absolutely! I'll never look at pocket change the same way again.