For some students, history usually means reading textbooks or sitting through lectures. At a Classical Society Club meeting, it meant holding a piece of the Roman Empire in their hands.

The student organization hosted its semesterly ancient Roman coin-cleaning event, giving students the opportunity to gently remove dirt from centuries-old bronze coins, examine their designs and take their coins home.

The coins, which date primarily to the late Roman period, offer a glimpse into a civilization that existed over a thousand years ago. Using distilled water, toothbrushes, cotton swabs and toothpicks, students worked to uncover the images and inscriptions preserved on the coins.

For Classical Society President and anthropology sophomore AJ Cousineau, the event is about more than cleaning old currency. It is an opportunity to introduce students to ancient history through a unique firsthand experience.

“I think it's a really fun interactive way to get people into this type of study,” Cousineau said. “The idea of getting to care for and handle something that is so old and historic and important to a group of people that no longer exists ... that's so cool and so interesting.”

Cousineau said the event has been a tradition since the club's early days. With help from faculty adviser Brandon Conley, an associate teaching professor in MSU's Department of Romance and Classical Studies, the organization supplies the coins and materials students need to participate.

“I remember doing it last year,” Cousineau said. “It was the first club meeting that we did and it was really, really interesting and really fun, and I thought it would be a great way to get more people to come and learn some new techniques and new things because this isn't something that everybody gets to do in their life.”

The cleaning process requires patience. Students begin by soaking their coins in distilled water before gently removing dirt with softer tools. They must be careful not to scratch the bronze or mistake corrosion for dirt.

The goal is not to make the coins shiny, but to reveal as much of their original details as possible without damaging them. Once students can identify images or letters, they can use reference guides and online resources to learn more about the coins.