Coin of Mithradates VI, Amisos (Pontos) c. 2th century

Editor: Here we have a coin of Mithradates VI from Amisos, Pontos. It's small and worn, but you can still make out the images. What narratives do you see emerging from this coin? Curator: I see a potent intersection of power, identity, and representation. The coin, beyond its monetary function, becomes a tool for Mithradates to project his image and legitimize his rule. Editor: How so? Curator: Consider the imagery: Likely his own portrait and perhaps Zeus. These choices weren't arbitrary. They linked him to both the divine and to Hellenistic ideals of leadership and power. It’s a conscious act of self-fashioning within a specific socio-political landscape. It's propaganda. Editor: That’s interesting! So, even a small coin can tell a big story about power. Curator: Exactly! It's a reminder that even the smallest artifacts can reveal profound insights into the past, its power structures and its ideologies.