Drachm of Alexandria under Lucius Verus with the Nile and the Nilometer c. 162 - 163

Curator: This is a Drachm of Alexandria under Lucius Verus, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought is how much this reminds me of pressing pennies at an amusement park—though far more ancient, of course. It feels like a tangible link to a distant world. Curator: Indeed. The coin's imagery, depicting the Nile River and a Nilometer, offers a fascinating insight into the economic and cultural significance of the Nile to Alexandria. The Nilometer, of course, being a structure used to measure the river's water level. Editor: You know, it’s amazing to think someone held this thing in their hand, made purchases, contemplated its weight and worth. It’s a small, unassuming object, but it echoes with the lives and times of people so removed from us now. Curator: Precisely. The wear and imperfections on the coin also underscore its history as a circulated object, bearing witness to countless transactions. Editor: Looking at it now, I feel the past breathing. It's both humbling and inspiring, isn't it?