Dupondius of Maximinus c. 3th century

Curator: This is a dupondius, a Roman coin, featuring Maximinus I Thrax. It weighs just over 10 grams and is currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The patina is just stunning! It evokes a somber, almost haunting mood, like peering into a lost empire. Curator: The imagery would have been carefully selected. Maximinus, a soldier-emperor, likely chose imagery reflecting military might and imperial authority. The figure on the reverse is probably a representation of Pax, the Roman goddess of peace. Editor: The notion of "peace" under a soldier-emperor strikes me as...fraught, to say the least. It's a powerful example of how symbols can be twisted to serve political agendas, masking brutality with an illusion of order. Curator: Indeed, and the coin itself, as a form of propaganda, speaks volumes about the emperor’s need to project power and legitimacy. The coin's value would have been trusted, in part, by its symbol of stability. Editor: It makes you wonder how many hands this coin passed through, and what kind of social interactions it facilitated, during a turbulent time in Roman history. Curator: A tangible link to a complex past, full of contradictions. Editor: Yes, reminding us that symbols are rarely innocent, and that peace is a construct often built on shaky foundations.