Coin of Gadara under Caracalla c. 214 - 215

Curator: This is a small bronze coin, dating back to the reign of the Roman Emperor Caracalla. It originated in Gadara, which was part of the Roman province of Syria. What strikes you about it? Editor: Honestly, it looks so… eroded. It feels like it's carrying so much history, all those transactions and pockets it has passed through. I wonder what stories it could tell. Curator: Well, one side features Caracalla's portrait, while the other shows the city's temple within a tetrastyle structure—a building with four columns. Editor: Temples meant so much in terms of power, influence, and cultural identity. What power dynamics are at play when an emperor’s image is fused with a city's sacred space on a coin? Was this a way to claim authority over local beliefs? Curator: It’s a fascinating question! The coin highlights the intersection of Roman imperial power and local Gadaran identity. They coexisted, negotiated, and sometimes, clashed. Editor: I love how such a small object can open up vast landscapes of thought. Curator: Absolutely, it carries an entire world within its little frame.