Coin (AE2) of Constantius Gallus, Nicomedia 351 - 354

Editor: So, this is a coin, an AE2 of Constantius Gallus, struck in Nicomedia. It’s small, and worn, but still carries these potent, almost ghostly images. What can you tell me about this little survivor? Curator: It whispers stories, doesn't it? Imagine the hands it passed through, the taxes paid, the daily life it touched. The figure on the reverse, likely a Roman soldier spearing a fallen foe, speaks volumes about the empire's constant state of war and its visual language of power. Doesn’t it make you wonder what he was fighting for? Editor: Definitely. It feels almost like holding a piece of a forgotten world. The wear on it makes me think it was a very valuable object. Curator: Valuable, yes, but also vulnerable. A tiny, portable billboard of power, constantly at risk of being lost or melted down. It's a paradox, isn't it? Something so small holding so much weight. Editor: I never thought about it that way. A micro-monument, almost! Thanks for the insight. Curator: My pleasure! Art is full of surprises.