Coin (AE4) of Arcadius, Alexandria 383 - 388

Curator: Before us we have a small bronze coin, an AE4 to be exact, of Arcadius, minted in Alexandria. Editor: It looks so worn and muted, almost like a whisper from a bygone era. What would this have represented for people at the time? Curator: These coins served not just as currency but also as miniature billboards, spreading the emperor's image and legitimacy. The imagery speaks of power, faith, and Romanitas. Editor: Power certainly built on exploitation, though. I wonder about the conditions of laborers in Alexandrian mints and how the imperial image impacted them. How did their labor contribute to Arcadius’ authority? Curator: A worthwhile consideration indeed. The coin’s iconography, although somewhat faded, suggests the continuity of Roman authority, resonating with established cultural memory, yet also subject to the shifting sands of political change. Editor: And now, as an artifact, it reminds us to question how power structures were, and still are, supported. The past is never truly past, is it?