As of Faustina II 161 - 176

Curator: Here we have an "As" of Faustina II, a Roman Empress, now residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels very worn and weathered. What kind of life this small object has lived! Curator: Exactly! Think of the hands it passed through, the political and social climate it represents. Faustina's image was carefully crafted to project imperial power. Editor: On the other side, a standing figure bears a spear, a symbol of military strength and protection, reinforcing the empire's might. Curator: And the coin’s very existence speaks to the centralization of power and the control over symbolic representation during that era. Editor: It's remarkable how such a tiny object, almost lost to time, can still convey such powerful messages about identity and authority. Curator: Precisely. It shows us that even the smallest artifacts can tell grand stories about the societies that made them.