Hemidrachm of the Arcadian League, Kleitor c. 465

Curator: What strikes me immediately about this silver hemidrachm is its worn condition, a testament to its journey through history. Editor: Indeed. This coin, minted by the Arcadian League in Kleitor, evokes a powerful sense of the past. It served as a crucial symbol of identity and economic power. Curator: Absolutely. The image of Artemis on one side and, likely, a representation of Zeus on the other. Artemis, a potent symbol of Arcadia. Editor: It's compelling how these miniature images, symbols of power and divinity, were so central to daily life and public identity. The continuity of such symbols remains powerful. Curator: It really does emphasize how art, even in its most functional form, reflects the social and political structures of its time. Editor: These small objects really do carry centuries of symbolic weight within them.