Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Gallienus c. 267 - 268

Editor: Here we have a Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Gallienus. It looks like a pretty standard coin, but it's worn smooth with age, like a worry stone. What do you make of it? Curator: It's a portal, isn't it? To hold something like this is to feel the weight of history, and perhaps ponder the eagle on the reverse – a symbol of power, yes, but also of fleeting empire. Does its gaze not seem to pierce the veil of centuries? Editor: So, it's less about the coin itself and more about what it represents? Curator: Exactly! It whispers of emperors, of distant lands, of trade routes and power struggles. It asks us to consider how we, too, will be remembered, or perhaps, forgotten. Editor: That's a lot to read into such a tiny object. Curator: Perhaps. But isn't that the beauty of art? A small thing can hold immense meaning, if only we are willing to listen. I find this coin strangely moving. Editor: I'll definitely look at old coins differently from now on!