Siglos of the Achaemenid Empire c. 499

Curator: Here we have a Siglos, a coin from the Achaemenid Empire. These were issued by the Achaemenid Kings and this particular coin is housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's incredible how something so small—just over five grams—can hold so much history. The wear and tear on the surface tells a story of countless transactions, of hands it must have passed through. Curator: Indeed. Analyzing its composition, we see the design is deliberately abstract. The lines, the angles—they serve to create a representation of royal authority. Editor: It feels almost primitive, in a way. Like a child's drawing, but imbued with immense power. I wonder what stories it could tell if it could talk. Curator: What speaks to me is how this single object exemplifies the Achaemenid focus on standardization and control, essential to maintaining such a vast empire. Editor: For me, it’s a tangible link to a distant past, a reminder that even empires fade, leaving behind fragments of their stories.