Denarius of L. Rutilius Flaccus, Rome (Fake?) c. 77 BCE

Editor: This is a Denarius of L. Rutilius Flaccus, a small silver coin. What strikes me is how much information they managed to pack onto such a tiny object. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, considering its function as currency, we must consider how this coin, in its materiality, participated in the Roman economy and social structures. Who controlled its production, and how did its circulation affect Roman society? Editor: That's interesting. So, the actual making of the coin is as important as what's on it? Curator: Absolutely. The labor, the material extraction, the technology involved – all of it reflects power dynamics and consumption patterns of the time. It prompts us to question the very nature of value and exchange in the ancient world. Editor: I never thought about a coin in so many ways! Curator: Precisely. Analyzing its production reveals a lot about Roman society.