Denarius of Elagabalus c. 3th century

Editor: Here we have a Denarius of Elagabalus. It's a small coin, isn't it? What symbols do you see in this piece? Curator: The image of Elagabalus reminds us of the weight placed on rulers' images. What do you make of the other side, with the chariot carrying a sacred stone? Editor: Is that meant to represent the sun god? Curator: It's believed so. Elagabalus attempted to place this deity, represented by the stone, above even Jupiter in Rome’s religious hierarchy, a radical act. What emotions does this evoke for you? Editor: I can see how that would cause major upheaval. It's like he's trying to reshape their entire belief system. Curator: Exactly. The coin becomes a tool for disseminating and, in this case, imposing a particular cultural memory. It makes you wonder about the narratives rulers try to construct, doesn't it? Editor: It really does. It’s fascinating how much history can be packed into such a small object!