Coin of Mithradates VI, Amisos (Pontos) c. 2th century

Curator: Here we have a fascinating object: a coin from Amisos, Pontos, attributed to Mithradates VI Eupator. Editor: It looks… ancient. Somber. A bit like a ghostly thumbprint from a long-lost world. Curator: Indeed. Notice the intricate detail for such a small object. On one side, a depiction that may be a Gorgon's head amidst a field of dots. Editor: And the other side shows what appears to be a figure standing above flowing lines—perhaps a river god? The letters next to the figure are also intriguing. It seems so elemental, so connected to its time. Curator: Precisely. These symbols and images acted as powerful declarations of Mithradates' authority. Editor: It's humbling, really. To think of the stories this little coin could tell, pressed between fingers, exchanged in marketplaces… Curator: A tangible link to a distant past, reduced to simple symbols, but imbued with complex intentions. Editor: Makes you wonder what our currency will say about us.