Denarius of Faustina II 161

Editor: Here we have a Denarius of Faustina II, weighing 2.83 grams. I'm struck by the materiality of the coin itself. How do you interpret this work, considering its purpose as currency? Curator: As a materialist, I see this coin not just as money, but as a physical manifestation of Roman power and economy. The material used, likely silver, reflects value determined through extraction and labor. The process of minting – the design carved into dies, the striking of the metal – speaks to the organization of labor and standardization of imperial imagery. What aspects of the coin's imagery do you find compelling? Editor: Well, I suppose the portrait of Faustina. Curator: Exactly. Who controlled the dissemination of her image, and what power structures were involved in that process? Editor: That’s true, I had not considered how the coin served as a form of social control. Curator: Thinking about the coin this way reveals much about Roman society and its relationship to labor and consumption.