Denarius of L. Sempronius Pitio, Rome c. 148

Curator: The Denarius of L. Sempronius Pitio presents us with a tangible piece of Roman history, a silver coin whose creation was overseen by the moneyer L. Sempronius Pitio. Editor: The starkness! It's a little worn, like a favorite worry stone, yet it holds a profile of such commanding confidence. Curator: Indeed, on one side we see Roma, helmeted and regal, while the reverse shows the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux, riding triumphantly. Editor: There’s a strange intimacy in holding something passed hand to hand, imagined and unimagined, through millennia. It's less about trade, more about touching time. Curator: Precisely. The coin served not just as currency, but as a form of political messaging, a way to disseminate Roman values and power throughout the Republic. Editor: And to think all that grandeur, that bluster, could fit in the palm of your hand...it's a humbling thought, isn't it?