Tetradrachm of Demetrios I of Syria, Antioch c. 162

Curator: Here we have a tetradrachm, a silver coin, of Demetrios I of Syria. The portrait is remarkably pensive, isn’t it? Editor: It's like the weight of the world is etched into his brow. The silver itself has this lovely dull gleam that makes you feel like you are holding history. Curator: Precisely. On the reverse, Tyche, the goddess of fortune, sits enthroned, holding a cornucopia. Below, a small figure – Nike, perhaps? – offers a crown. Editor: It's all so meticulously rendered, like a tiny stage. But I wonder, did Demetrios see himself as blessed by fortune, or was this coin a piece of careful propaganda? Curator: A pertinent question. These coins were designed to project power, to legitimize rule. I see a certain vulnerability in the portrait, though. It humanizes him. Editor: Perhaps, a sliver of truth peeking through the crafted image. Food for thought.