Denarius of Septimius Severus c. 206

Curator: Here we have a denarius of Septimius Severus, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s quite a striking piece. Editor: The worn texture of the silver speaks volumes; you can feel the history embedded in the very material. Curator: Absolutely. Septimius Severus, of course, was keen to cement his legacy. Coinage was crucial for disseminating his image and authority across the empire. Editor: Consider the labor involved in producing these coins. Each one, a testament to the empire's economic and social structure. The silver itself, where did it come from, how was it mined? Curator: And how effectively did these coins project power? Did the average citizen feel more connected to the Emperor by holding his likeness in their hands? Editor: It’s a fascinating intersection of symbolic value and material reality. I’m left pondering the countless hands this denarius has passed through. Curator: Indeed, it offers a tangible link to understanding the Roman Empire’s influence and its efforts to maintain power through visual representation. Editor: A tiny object, yet overflowing with implications about production and power.