Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Commodus c. 180 - 181

Curator: Here we have a tetradrachm, minted in Alexandria during the reign of Commodus. Editor: It looks like it’s been through a lot. There's a worn beauty to it, like something found in a pirate's chest. Curator: Indeed. The coin would have served as currency, but also as a potent symbol of Roman power and economic control in Egypt. Considering Commodus's controversial reign, it makes you wonder about the societal impact of such currency. Editor: I see the emperor's profile—though weathered. What stories could this little metal disc tell about the market stalls, political schemes, and ordinary hands it passed through? Curator: Exactly! The material, the wear, the imagery—it all speaks to production, power, and the lives of those under Roman rule. Editor: I find myself pondering how this object, seemingly so small, could carry so much weight. Curator: A tangible piece of history connecting labor, value, and imperial ideology. Editor: I can't help but marvel at how history leaves its imprint, literally, on the objects we leave behind.