Coin of Alexandreia Troas under Caracalla c. 2th - 3th century

Editor: This is a coin of Alexandreia Troas under Caracalla, a Roman coin with Caracalla's effigy on one side, and a grazing horse on the other. What strikes me is how worn it is, yet the images are still discernible. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Considering the coin's materiality, the base metal composition and method of striking become significant. It speaks to the economic systems and technological capabilities of the time. How did access to these materials shape the coin's production, circulation, and its eventual archaeological state? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't thought about the base metal and production of these coins in that way. Curator: It is also important to consider how labor was structured to produce them and how that labor enabled modes of consumption.