Coin of Apameia-Kibotos under Caracalla 188 - 217

Curator: This coin of Apameia-Kibotos, created during the reign of Caracalla, carries a weight of 6.89 grams, and is now held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The patinated bronze gives the coin a deeply weathered look. The imagery seems quite dense. Curator: Roman coins were used as propaganda. They were a medium to spread political messages throughout the empire, connecting its citizens with the ruling emperor. Editor: Yes, the symbols on both sides would have told a story. I see a figure, perhaps a deity, and what looks like a portrait of Caracalla himself. These figures were carefully chosen. Curator: Precisely. The images aimed to reinforce imperial authority, to build a cohesive social fabric. Editor: A pocket-sized reminder of Rome’s reach. It’s fascinating how such a small object could carry so much symbolic weight.