Tetradrachm of Antiochos VIII Grypos of Syria c. 121

Curator: Well, if it isn't the Tetradrachm of Antiochos VIII Grypos of Syria, weighing in at a hefty 16.41 grams! It just has this heft to it that I find so satisfying. Editor: It strikes me as melancholic, actually. The worn surface whispers stories of trade routes, empires, and power struggles. Curator: Absolutely, because even a tiny coin like this was an instrument for asserting royal dominance. The portrait is propaganda as much as art. Editor: It is interesting to me how this relates to modern statehoods and control. Currency, like this coin, still speaks volumes about a society's priorities and beliefs. Curator: It's wild to think about its journey and who held it. I guess history really is in our hands, isn't it? Editor: Indeed, it demands a continuous questioning of power structures and their lasting impacts.