Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian c. 292 - 293

Curator: We're looking at a Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. The piece weighs a delicate 7.32 grams. Editor: It feels… weighty, doesn't it? The patina suggests a life lived, almost bruised. Curator: Indeed. Note the obverse: Diocletian's profile, rendered with a deliberate austerity. The composition directs the eye along the rigid lines of his jaw. Editor: And the reverse… is that a figure holding some kind of scales? A sense of balance, of holding power in check? Curator: Possibly. Or simply a symbolic representation of justice and governance under his rule. The semiotic layering of the imagery is quite compelling. Editor: I love how something so small can carry so much history, so many stories pressed into its surface. Curator: Precisely. It's a testament to the power of art to encapsulate complex narratives within a restricted form. Editor: Gives you a lot to think about, all from this tiny thing.