In their images and inscriptions, ancient coins speak of the rise and fall of dynasties, the comings and goings of royalty, the hopes and dreams of men. Beneath this public history lies a more intimate, private tale, having to do with who has held the coin, where it has been and what it has bought. This latter story can only be filled in by the imagination, yet it is equally real. As we hold this token of the roman fast on our hands today, we cannot help but wonder about those who held it long ago. As our hands rest where theirs did, we are connected with their world in a direct way.