As of Lucius Verus 

Curator: Here we have a fascinating object, "As of Lucius Verus," a coin attributed to Lucius Verus himself, now residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There’s a ghostly grandeur to it, isn't there? A quiet, weighty feel despite its smallness. Like holding a whisper of an empire. Curator: Indeed. This coin represents not just currency, but also the political and economic systems that supported the Roman Empire, the physical labor extracting and processing the metal. Editor: I find myself wondering about the hands it passed through, the markets it bought goods at... each scratch a tiny story etched in time. Curator: Precisely. The coin’s material—likely bronze or copper—its production, and circulation are indicative of Rome’s vast trade networks and imperial power. Editor: It’s humbling to think that something so small could symbolize such enormous power. Almost makes you reconsider the value we assign to things today, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. The coin’s value transcended its material worth, influencing social relations and power dynamics of the time. Editor: A beautiful little lens through which to view history. Curator: Exactly. It’s a tangible link to the past. Editor: And a reminder that even empires fade.