Coin of Antioch under Macrinus c. 217 - 218

Editor: Here we have a Coin of Antioch under Macrinus. It’s… well, it's a coin, so it's small, but seeing something handled by people so long ago is pretty neat. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I find coins utterly charming, don't you? Each one is a tiny, portable declaration of power, a snapshot of an era. This one whispers of Macrinus, a Roman emperor who, let's just say, had a brief and somewhat turbulent reign. Editor: Turbulent, how so? Curator: He wasn’t of noble birth, you see, and usurped the throne. The coin itself, though small, served as propaganda. And the imagery? It’s a statement about his authority, albeit one that history ultimately contested. It's like a really old meme, trying to convince everyone he's legit. Editor: So, a coin that speaks volumes about a short and not-so-successful reign. I never thought of it that way. Thanks!