Sestertius of Antoninus Pius c. 140 - 143

Curator: Here we have a sestertius, a Roman coin, bearing the image of Antoninus Pius. Its surface is heavily patinated. It weighs around 27.95 grams. Editor: Time and touch have sculpted this little bronze disc! I feel a deep connection to those long-ago hands. Curator: Indeed. Coins like these aren't merely currency. They’re powerful tools of imperial propaganda, disseminating carefully crafted images and messages. Editor: Propaganda, yes, but also intimate objects. Imagine this coin, exchanged for bread or toil, a tiny piece of someone’s day, centuries ago! Curator: Absolutely. The coin embodies the complex relationships between ruler and ruled, value and representation, individual lives and broader historical forces. Editor: It’s a tangible link to the past, a tiny portal. And it reminds us, doesn’t it, that even emperors end up as whispers on ancient coins?