Coin of Cleopatra Thea and Antiochos VIII of Syria, Antioch c. 123

Editor: We're looking at a coin of Cleopatra Thea and Antiochos VIII of Syria, likely from around the 2nd century BC. Even in this aged state, it seems to whisper of ancient power. What stories do you think this coin holds? Curator: Ah, this coin! It's like holding a tiny soap opera. Cleopatra Thea, quite the character, and Antiochos, her son-husband. Royal portraiture was power projection, pure and simple. This coin, though small, spoke volumes to their subjects. The condition? Well, time leaves its mark, doesn't it? What do you make of that mark? Editor: It's a good point. It's a great reminder of the passage of time, and how even symbols of power fade. Curator: Precisely! It reminds us that everything, even empires, is temporary, doesn't it?