Antoninianus of Tetricus I c. 3th century

Curator: Let's discuss this Antoninianus of Tetricus I housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. What's your first impression? Editor: It looks like it’s been through a lot. The green corrosion gives it a ghostly, ethereal feel, like a memory fading into the past. Curator: Indeed. These coins, struck during Tetricus I's reign, speak to the turbulent times of the Gallic Empire and the fracturing of Roman authority. Editor: I see faint figures. Are those Roman deities? What would they have represented to people back then? Curator: Likely depictions of deities, yes. They served to legitimize Tetricus’ rule, grounding his authority in the established Roman pantheon and cultural memory. Editor: It’s poignant to see these grand symbols of power reduced to something so small, weathered, and almost forgotten. It makes you wonder what symbols we are creating today that might one day carry a completely different meaning. Curator: Absolutely, a humble material remnant, laden with layers of shifting significance.