Coin of Ilium under Caracalla c. 2th - 3th century

Editor: So, this is a "Coin of Ilium under Caracalla," made during his reign, and it’s at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like it’s seen better days, but there's something hauntingly beautiful about its decay. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, I'm immediately drawn to the implied narrative. Imagine the hands this coin has passed through, the stories it could tell of ancient Ilium! Do you get a sense of the weight of history just by looking at it? Editor: Absolutely! I hadn't thought about it that way, but now I am. It's like a little time capsule. Curator: Exactly! It's a tangible connection to a distant past. Each scratch, each worn edge, whispers of emperors and empires. And to think, it all began with a simple idea and a die. Fascinating, isn't it? Editor: It really is. I'll never look at an old coin the same way again. Curator: Me neither. The coin becomes a poignant symbol of time’s relentless march, constantly reminding us of civilizations risen and fallen, with only fragments enduring.