Coin of Mithradates VI, Amisos (Pontos) c. 2th century

Curator: Here we have a coin of Mithradates VI Eupator, minted in Amisos, an ancient Greek city in Pontos. Editor: The rough surface and tiny scale really emphasize the coin's age and history. I can feel the weight of time. Curator: Absolutely. The symbols are powerful. Look at the lotus. It speaks to rebirth and divinity, deeply embedded in many cultures. Editor: Lotus, yes, and then consider Mithradates, a ruler who styled himself as a liberator against Roman expansion. What symbols did he use to cultivate an image of resistance? Curator: Each image carries the weight of his ambition and the desire to connect to something timeless and sacred. Editor: This coin reminds us that symbols are never neutral; they're tools in a constant struggle over meaning and power. Curator: Indeed, even now, looking at it, we're participating in that dialogue, centuries later. Editor: It's a potent reminder of how deeply the past is embedded in our present.