Tetradrachm of Antiochos VII Eurgetes of Syria c. 121

Editor: This is a Tetradrachm of Antiochos VII Eurgetes of Syria. It's a hefty coin and I'm struck by how much detail is packed into such a small space. What can you tell me about its production and context? Curator: We must consider the minting process itself. The hammering of the die into the silver blank, the labor involved, and the control of silver as a precious commodity. How does its value as a tool for exchange inform our understanding of its imagery? Editor: That's a fascinating perspective! I hadn't thought about the connection between the coin's material and its message. It makes you wonder about the people who handled it. Curator: Precisely! The circulation of this coin reflects the movement of power and goods within the Seleucid empire. It’s about materiality and the social relations embedded within it. What else can we uncover? Editor: This has shifted my perspective on ancient coins. I see them now as more than just artifacts. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, they are tangible links to the economic and social structures of the past.