Denarius of Caracalla c. 210

Curator: Here we have a Denarius of Caracalla, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Even in this state, it feels incredibly imposing. Editor: What strikes me immediately is how the material speaks to power. It's not just silver; it's a tool to solidify Caracalla's image, his authority, and disseminate that power across the Roman world. Curator: Precisely! And consider the labor involved. Extracting the silver, refining it, striking these images—each coin represents a significant investment of human effort, all funneled into propagating a specific ideology. Editor: Looking at the portrait, you can see the crisp lines, the way light catches the high points of his brow and beard. There's a clear attempt to convey strength and nobility. Curator: But it's also about control of resources. These coins facilitated trade, taxation, and military funding. They were the literal building blocks of the empire. Editor: It's quite powerful to consider how such a small object carries such weight, both literally and figuratively. Curator: Absolutely. It's a testament to the deep connections between material culture and the shaping of society. Editor: A lasting image, indeed.