Stater of Alexander the Great, Babylon c. 317

Curator: This is a Stater of Alexander the Great, struck in Babylon. Editor: Its golden surface is so smooth, yet the relief is amazingly crisp. It feels so potent, even at just 8.57 grams. Curator: The imagery is fascinating. On one side, we see Athena, helmeted, a figure of wisdom and warfare. On the other, Nike, the goddess of victory, bearing a wreath. It encapsulates Alexander's ambition, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. But I'm drawn to the labor involved. Consider the number of these coins produced, each one die-struck by hand. It speaks to an immense administrative and economic undertaking. Curator: The coin acted as a symbol. Athena was both a connection to the classical world and a powerful figure in her own right. Editor: And the gold itself, sourced and refined, became a signifier of power. The coin stands as a monument to both Alexander's reign and the vast network sustaining it. Curator: Indeed, looking at it now, I feel both the weight of history and the gleam of timeless ambition. Editor: And the tangible legacy of countless hands transforming raw material into a symbol of dominance.