Denarius of Julius Caesar, Africa 47-46 BCE

Curator: This is a Denarius, a silver coin issued by Julius Caesar in Africa. It's amazing to think this tiny object once held so much power and influence. Editor: It looks like it's seen things, hasn't it? The wear and tear give it a strange kind of beauty, like the map of a well-lived life etched onto metal. Curator: Absolutely. These coins weren't just currency; they were propaganda. Caesar put his image on them to project power and legitimacy across his vast territories. Think of it as ancient social media. Editor: The profile of Caesar—laurel-wreathed, of course—is so crisp, even now. And on the reverse, that figure—is that a representation of Africa? Curator: Indeed, Africa is depicted, along with Caesar's name. It served as a powerful message of his conquest and control over the region. Editor: It's a heavy thing, isn't it? That something so small could carry such weight of history, ambition, and even violence. Curator: It's a tangible link to a pivotal moment in history, a whisper from the past that still echoes today. Editor: Makes you think about all the hands it's passed through, all the stories it could tell if it could speak. A tiny, glittering time capsule.