Coin of Marathos with Head of Berenike II of Egypt c. 187

Curator: Here we have a coin from Marathos bearing the head of Berenike II of Egypt. It is currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's striking, isn't it? The wear speaks of its age and journey. It makes you wonder how many hands this little thing has passed through. Curator: Absolutely. The materiality is significant; the coin was likely made from bronze, a relatively inexpensive and accessible material, which speaks to its wide circulation and practical function in the marketplace. Editor: Right, and its existence as a tool of economic exchange shaped social interactions and power structures. Coinage was closely tied to royal authority and the administration of the state. Curator: And by bearing Berenike's image, this very object performs a specific political function within the Ptolemaic dynasty. Editor: It’s a beautiful thing, really—this small object connects us to a vast network of political and economic exchange. Curator: Indeed. It is a potent reminder of the past embedded in a humble, material object.