Tetradrachm of Myriandros under Mazaios c. 361

Curator: This is a Tetradrachm of Myriandros. Mazaios, the artist, created this coin, and you can find it here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Immediately striking is its worn texture. It feels ancient, burdened with the weight of history and empires. Curator: Precisely. These coins were not merely currency; they functioned as potent political tools. Consider the imagery—a seated figure and a lion—each side laden with symbolic weight. Editor: I see power dynamics at play here. Who is being represented, and who is being left out? How does the lion, a symbol often associated with strength, complicate the narrative of governance? Curator: Mazaios used this coin as a medium for advocating and reinforcing his power. The coin became a vehicle for communicating authority to a broad audience. Editor: Seeing it this way brings the past into sharper focus. It reminds us that the images we see, even on something as commonplace as currency, can reveal profound truths about society. Curator: Indeed. This coin gives us a glimpse into the political landscape of its time. Editor: It makes you wonder about all the hidden narratives waiting to be uncovered.