Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Probus c. 283 - 284

Curator: Here we have a tetradrachm issued in Alexandria during the reign of Emperor Probus. It's a copper alloy coin, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's quite striking, actually. The worn texture and dark patina give it a sense of age and mystery. The figures are still discernible, but the surface is heavily degraded. Curator: Indeed. The value lies in how this coin circulated within the Roman economy. Its materiality represents labor and trade in the province of Egypt. Editor: I'm drawn to the eagle on the reverse, how its wings nearly touch the coin’s edge. Its form and posture evoke a sense of imperial power and divine authority. Curator: I'm more interested in how the production of these coins supported and reflected the economic and political infrastructure of the time. Editor: Well, regardless, examining its imagery and composition definitely helps us understand the values and beliefs held at the time. Curator: Perhaps. Studying the coin as a material object provides concrete data about social and economic practices. Editor: A worthwhile point. It is fascinating to consider the convergence of artistic expression and tangible reality embodied within the coin.