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

Editor: Here we have a coin from Amisos, Pontos, commissioned by Mithradates VI Eupator. It’s quite small, but I’m struck by how much detail they packed into it. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Consider the labor: the mining, the smelting, the die-making, and the striking of this coin. What does the material itself, likely silver or bronze, tell us about trade routes and economic power at the time? Editor: So, it's less about the king's image and more about the context of its creation? Curator: Precisely. The coin’s value extends beyond its face value; it's about the vast network of production and consumption it represents. Editor: That’s a completely different way of looking at it. It makes me think about what something seemingly small can reveal.