Fraction of Maximian, Carthage c. 303

Curator: Here we have a Fraction of Maximian, Carthage, minted by Maximianus I Herculius. It's a small object, weighing less than three grams. Editor: It looks… eroded. The visual field is pretty flat, though I can make out a circular structure. There is a sense of age, of course. Curator: Coins like this were less about personal wealth and more about the collective image of power. Even a fraction carried the emperor's presence. Editor: So the power isn't necessarily in the coin's value, but in what it represents. Curator: Exactly. Think of the portraits—they invoke an emotional connection to leadership, a continuity of Roman identity even in Carthage. Editor: I see now that the wear and tear become part of the visual narrative—a testament to its journey through time. Curator: Indeed, from antiquity to today, it speaks of power and its endurance. Editor: The coin's circular form, now somewhat battered, continues to resonate, suggesting cycles of use and reuse. Curator: A tangible link to a distant past. Editor: Fascinating.