Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian c. 289 - 290

Editor: Here we have a tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian, currently housed in the Harvard Art Museums. It's incredible to hold something like this and think about the hands it passed through! What can we understand about its making and use? Curator: Consider the materiality – this coin, likely a copper alloy, speaks volumes about resource access and control under Diocletian. Who mined the metal, who struck the coin, and what does its distribution tell us about trade and power dynamics in Roman Egypt? Editor: So it's not just about the image of Diocletian, but the entire production process? Curator: Precisely. The coin’s value wasn't solely symbolic; it represented labor, resources, and the complex economic system that sustained the Roman Empire. Its wear and tear even tells a story. Editor: That really shifts my perspective. It's amazing how much history is embedded in this small object. Curator: Indeed. By examining its materials and production, we gain insight into the lives of those who made, used, and valued it.