Dupondius of Commodus 

Curator: Here we have a Dupondius, a Roman coin, issued under the reign of Commodus. Editor: It looks like a humble brown pebble, worn smooth by centuries of handling. But if it could talk… Curator: Precisely. The production of coinage was integral to the Roman economy and a key tool of imperial propaganda. Editor: I see the ghost of an image... A figure sits enthroned on the coin's face, gazing out with ancient authority. I wonder what stories it could tell? Curator: These coins, circulated widely, standardized trade, and displayed carefully chosen iconography. It’s a tangible link to the political and economic machinery of the Roman Empire. Editor: It whispers of power and empire, ambition and decay, all contained within that small, unassuming circle. Beautiful, really.