AR Probus 277 - 282

Editor: Here we have a coin, “AR Probus,” by the artist Probus, at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a small, dark, unassuming piece. What symbols jump out at you? Curator: The portrait of Probus himself immediately speaks to Roman imperial power. But consider the reverse: a figure, perhaps Roma or a personification of Victory, bestowing a wreath. What does that wreath signify, embedded within the imagery of power? Editor: Maybe it's about earned authority, not just inherited power? Curator: Precisely! It layers the narrative, doesn't it? We're not just seeing power, but perhaps *justified* power. Symbols work on multiple levels. Editor: I see. So it’s not just about the coin itself, but what it represents about that time. Thanks!