Antoninianus of Cornelia Salonina 260 - 268

Curator: Here we have an Antoninianus coin, portraying Cornelia Salonina. Editor: There's something haunting about it, the worn metal whispering of hands long gone. Curator: Indeed. The material is base silver, likely hastily produced during a period of economic distress. Note the simplified portrait and the stag motif on the reverse. Editor: The stag itself is interesting. Was that animal associated with Salonina or just standard Roman symbolism? Curator: The stag likely alludes to Diana, aligning Salonina with idealized, divine attributes. It reinforces her symbolic role. Editor: Seeing such an intimate artifact—pocket-sized propaganda—really brings the past to life, doesn't it? Curator: It makes one consider the daily realities of power and its representation. Editor: Absolutely, thank you.