Dichalkos of Orodes II of Parthia (Ecbatana) 57 BCE - 37 BCE

Curator: Here we have a Dichalkos of Orodes II of Parthia, likely minted in Ecbatana. It’s a humble coin, really. Editor: It's tiny! And it feels, well, serious. Like a small, weighty secret from a long-gone world. Curator: Indeed. What’s interesting is how these coins, as a form of currency and propaganda, circulated through the Parthian empire. The materials themselves, and the labor involved in their production, speak volumes about the economic and social structures of the time. Editor: You're right, I wonder what hands it passed through, what transactions it facilitated, what stories it could tell. Even just the wear and tear on it… it’s kind of beautiful. Curator: Precisely! Each scratch, each imperfection is a testament to its journey through history. It's not just an artifact; it's a tangible link to the past. Editor: I’ll never look at coins the same way again.