Hemidrachm of the Arcadian League, Tegea c. 460

Editor: Here we have a Hemidrachm of the Arcadian League. These little coins are fascinating to me. I wonder what stories they could tell. What strikes you about this tiny piece of history? Curator: It whispers of community, doesn't it? Of shared identity forged in the hills of Arcadia. That figure seated on the coin's face—perhaps Pan himself, or maybe a local hero—he embodies the spirit of independence those Arcadians held so dear. Editor: Independence, really? Curator: Absolutely! Nestled in the Peloponnese, they fiercely resisted outside control. This coin, then, isn't just currency, it's a tiny act of defiance, a statement etched in silver. Editor: Wow, I never would have looked at it that way. It’s more than just money. Curator: Exactly! It makes you wonder what other stories are hidden in plain sight.