Coin of Mithradates VI, Amisos (Pontos) c. 2th century

Curator: This is a coin from Amisos, Pontos, issued by Mithradates VI Eupator. It weighs a mere 7.19 grams. Editor: It's worn, yes, but fascinating. You can still make out the imagery; a figure, perhaps a ruler, radiating power through a simple, portable object. Curator: Indeed. The artistry on this coin, although small, carries a lot of symbolic weight. It's fascinating how rulers used these images to project their power and divinity. Editor: And the materiality! Bronze was readily available, so its relative cheapness allowed for mass production. It's a medium of the people, even as it depicts someone powerful. Curator: Precisely. The coin embodies the intersection of power and the everyday, a symbolic message worn smooth by circulation. Editor: It brings the ancient world into our hands, doesn't it? We feel the weight of history, both literally and figuratively. Curator: Absolutely, a tangible connection to Mithradates and his world, revealed through both symbol and substance.