Antoninianus of Diocletian, Rome 285 - 286

Editor: Here we have a fascinating artifact: an Antoninianus of Diocletian. Seeing it, I'm immediately struck by the weight of history in such a tiny, worn object. What stories do you think this coin whispers to us? Curator: Ah, it murmurs of power, doesn't it? The radiate crown marks Diocletian, a ruler who tried to fix a fracturing empire. Look at the figure on the reverse – likely a deity promising prosperity, a bold pronouncement minted for all to see, but did it hold true? Editor: I wonder if people at the time felt the same sense of distance from the ruler that I feel looking at this today? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe they felt seen, represented. It's all a matter of perspective, isn't it? Editor: I never thought of it that way. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's always rewarding to look at things from another angle.