Coin of Amphipolis under Diadumenian c. 218

Curator: This is a coin of Amphipolis dating to the reign of Diadumenian. The weight is approximately 6.91 grams. Editor: It looks like it's been through a lot. The color is almost entirely muted to greens and browns, and the surface texture speaks of time and decay. Curator: Indeed. The images, though worn, still speak to a world of power and authority, of symbols that were instantly recognizable. Editor: It’s amazing to think about all the hands this coin has passed through, all the transactions it facilitated. What material is it? Curator: Most likely bronze. It would have been a common currency, connecting people to a wider economy. Editor: The wear makes me wonder about the original labor—the mining, smelting, stamping of this coin. The hands that made this possible. Curator: And the ruler who made it all happen. The symbols must have been important. I wonder what people would have thought about the authority? Editor: I agree. Each coin is a material artifact that tells many stories. Curator: Seeing the coin through your eyes reminds me of how deeply intertwined art and daily life were.