Tetradrachm of Antiochos IV Epiphanes of Syria c. 175

Curator: Before us, we have a Tetradrachm of Antiochos IV Epiphanes of Syria, its silver surface worn smooth with age. Editor: There’s an undeniable solemnity to it, a weightiness despite its small size. The silver gives it a cool, almost ethereal feel. Curator: Indeed. The coin's obverse features a detailed portrait, the king himself adorned with a diadem. The execution is quite skilled; note the precise articulation of his features. Editor: The diadem speaks volumes; it's not just decoration but a powerful signifier of kingship, divinity even. Symbols solidify power; here, the coin itself becomes an assertion. Curator: Precisely. And on the reverse, we find Zeus seated, further cementing Antiochos's claim to authority through association with the divine. Observe how the composition leads the eye. Editor: So, a convergence of political aspiration and divine sanction, captured in a single, circulated object. It’s like holding a piece of cultural memory, a little mirror reflecting an entire kingdom. Curator: A fitting reflection on the interplay of power and image, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely, power etched into metal, and now, viewed across centuries.