Antoninianus of Otacilia Severa 

Curator: Here we have an Antoninianus of Otacilia Severa, a Roman empress during the mid-3rd century. These coins, now housed at the Harvard Art Museums, served not just as currency, but also as a tool for imperial propaganda. Editor: It’s amazing how much power is packed into something so small! Seeing it evokes a kind of ghostly feeling, like holding a whisper of history. Curator: Absolutely. Each coin would have circulated widely, carrying the empress's image and associated virtues throughout the empire. Think of it as ancient mass media. Editor: It's incredible to imagine this tiny object shaping perceptions of power, influencing the daily lives of countless people. It makes you wonder what messages our own money subtly conveys. Curator: Precisely. It's a powerful reminder of how even the smallest artifacts can reflect and reinforce broader socio-political structures. Editor: Holding it in my mind's eye, I can almost hear the echo of marketplaces and imperial decrees. A tangible link to a world so distant, yet strangely familiar.