Drachm of Demetrios Poliorketes, Ephesos c. 306

Editor: Here we have a Drachm of Demetrios Poliorketes, minted in Ephesos. Struck in silver, it's surprisingly detailed. On one side, a handsome profile; on the other, a figure in action. What do you see in this piece, beyond its historical value? Curator: Well, it's a power move, isn’t it? Demetrios, “besieger of cities,” puts his own idealized face on currency. It whispers, "I am enduring, I am valuable," while the athletic figure, perhaps meant to be Poseidon, shouts, "I am strong, I am in control." I wonder what daily life was like? Editor: It's amazing to think of someone holding this and thinking about power in the same way we do today. Curator: Exactly! Art is about reflecting human nature, isn't it? And human nature doesn't change *that* much, does it? Now I'm wondering if Demetrios ever doubted the value of what he was doing.