Coin of Hadrianopolis under Gordian III c. 3th century

Curator: Look at this "Coin of Hadrianopolis under Gordian III," now held at the Harvard Art Museums. To me, it feels like a whispered echo from a distant past. Editor: It’s incredible to think about the labor involved in minting these things. Who were the artisans? What were their working conditions like? Curator: That's fascinating, but I'm drawn to the artistry, the skill to capture a ruler’s likeness on such a tiny scale. Does it communicate power, perhaps even vulnerability? Editor: It makes you consider the social power of coinage itself. Imagine the mines where the metal was extracted, the complex trade networks, the empires built on these small objects. Curator: You're right, it's like holding a microcosm of the world in your hand, isn't it? I love how its imperfections tell a story of time, of hands that have held it. Editor: Exactly. These imperfections, that wear and tear, they're not flaws but evidence of use, proof that these coins really did circulate, representing actual labor and commodities. Curator: It really makes you wonder about the hands it passed through and the stories it could tell if it could speak. Editor: Absolutely. It’s more than just art. It’s a connection to the economic and social roots of an entire civilization.