Tetradrachm of Seleucus II c. 246

Curator: This is a tetradrachm, a silver coin weighing about 4.2 grams, issued under Seleucus II. Editor: It feels very intimate, seeing a ruler rendered so small and designed for everyday use. The wear gives it a palpable sense of history. Curator: Precisely. Coins like this were vital tools of power. The ruler's image, the inscriptions—they broadcast authority throughout the Seleucid empire. The reverse features Apollo, of course, linking Seleucus to the divine. Editor: Apollo signifies far more than just divine lineage; he embodies ideals of beauty, order, and intellectual enlightenment, all subtly projected onto the Seleucid dynasty. Curator: Yes, and the act of holding it, considering how power has been materially manifest throughout the ages—it’s quite something. Editor: Indeed, reflecting on the hands this has passed through, this coin has witnessed history unfold.