Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Tacitus c. 275 - 276

Editor: This is a Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Tacitus, currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It has a weathered look, but I can still make out the figures. What stories do you think it tells? Curator: Ah, yes, a coin whispers tales of emperors and empires! For me, it's a meditation on power, fleeting yet enduring, struck into metal. What do you make of the portrait, the way Tacitus chose to represent himself? Editor: I guess I see a sort of stoicism, a sense of duty etched onto his face. Is that right? Curator: Precisely! Perhaps he sought to project strength in uncertain times. Each detail, from the laurel wreath to the very font used, was a calculated move. Think of it—a tiny, portable billboard! Editor: So, this isn't just currency; it's propaganda? Curator: Every coin is propaganda of one kind or another; this one speaks of legacy. It kind of makes you want to find your own coin, doesn’t it? Editor: It does. I never thought about it this way before. Curator: That’s the magic of art! Shifting perspectives with time.