Antoninianus of Diocletian, Lugdunum c. 292 - 294

Curator: Here we have an Antoninianus of Diocletian, struck in Lugdunum. The weight is just over 4 grams. Look closely. What's your initial impression? Editor: It feels... weighty, despite its size. The patina gives it a sense of aged importance, a palpable link to the past. Curator: Absolutely. Diocletian's image on the coin served as a powerful symbol of imperial authority and stability during a turbulent period in Roman history. Editor: The way the image is stamped, that profile, conveys a sense of unyielding power through pure form. Curator: And consider the sunburst crown! That's Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun, signaling Diocletian's divine endorsement. Editor: Right, the formal integration of divine imagery with the imperial portrait creates a potent visual vocabulary of power and legitimacy. Curator: Studying objects like these really connects us to ancient cultural values and how rulers sought to shape perception. Editor: Indeed. A whole history, concentrated in one small, formally striking object.