Coin of Berytos under Gallienus c. 253 - 268

Editor: So, this weathered piece of metal is a Coin of Berytos under Gallienus. It's from the Harvard Art Museums, but its creation date is unknown. Seeing the green patina, it's hard to imagine its original gleam. What stories do you think this coin whispers to us? Curator: Oh, this isn't just metal, it's a portal! Imagine the hands this coin has passed through, the transactions it facilitated! The verdigris isn't decay, it's history embracing the object, wouldn't you agree? What kind of world was Gallienus presiding over when this coin was minted? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It's like the coin absorbed the anxieties and hopes of the era. Curator: Exactly! And that's what makes it such a compelling piece, even in its silence. I see echoes of lives lived, empires risen and fallen. Editor: That's fascinating. I'll definitely look at ancient coins differently now. Curator: Me too!