Antoninianus of Antioch under Gallienus c. 255 - 256

Curator: This is an Antoninianus of Antioch under Gallienus, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums, weighing in at 4.15 grams. Editor: It's remarkable how much information they packed onto such a tiny, circulated object. You can almost feel the sweat and grime of the marketplace on it. Curator: Indeed. The coin’s material composition, likely debased silver, speaks volumes about the economic pressures of the time. These coins served as both currency and potent propaganda tools. Editor: Look at the reverse, the depiction of deities. It's interesting to consider how images like this reinforced the emperor's authority and the stability of the state in the eyes of its citizens. Curator: Precisely. The production process, from mining and refining the metal to die-striking the coin, highlights the complex network of labor and resources that sustained the Roman Empire. Editor: Considering how ubiquitous these coins were, they offer a fascinating lens through which to examine the daily lives and political climate of the era. Curator: Absolutely, a material fragment of Roman history speaking volumes about its production and consumption. Editor: A small object, but a window onto a vast and complex world.