Follis of Licinius I, Cyzicus 317 - 320

Curator: Here we have a Follis of Licinius I, a Roman coin currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It’s a small thing, isn't it? But you can almost feel the weight of history, and the wear from countless hands. The copper alloy is patinated with time. Curator: Indeed. Issued by Licinius I, the emperor himself, this coin served as a crucial tool for disseminating his image and authority throughout the Roman Empire. Editor: We should note the means of production: the die-striking process itself, the labor involved. It speaks to standardized state power, but also the physical exertion needed to create and distribute these objects. Curator: Absolutely. The imagery—the emperor’s portrait, the depiction of a deity—projected power. Editor: And who consumed this image? Was it effective propaganda, or simply a facilitator of trade, bearing the indelible stamp of imperial power on everyday life? Curator: It is, undeniably, a fascinating artifact, small in scale but grand in its implications for understanding the Roman Empire. Editor: A potent reminder that even the smallest things can carry monumental weight.