Coin of Paltos under Severus Alexander c. 222 - 235

Curator: This coin of Paltos under Severus Alexander weighs just under 10 grams. What strikes you about it? Editor: Immediately, it feels weighty, not just physically, but symbolically. The oxidation adds a patina of age, hinting at stories it could tell. Curator: Coins served as a form of mass media in the Roman Empire. Examining them allows us to understand imperial messaging and local identity. Editor: Absolutely. The figures, though worn, suggest a ritual scene, maybe connected to local deities. They would have carried profound meaning for the people of Paltos. Curator: The choice to depict local iconography indicates an attempt to integrate the region into the broader Roman political structure. Editor: It is a powerful artifact, a small object revealing so much about the interplay between imperial power and local belief. Curator: Indeed, it illustrates how art, even in its most functional forms, embodies complex socio-political dynamics. Editor: It leaves me pondering how everyday objects can carry so much cultural memory.