Stater of Tarsus under Datames c. 378

Curator: Datames, the satrap of Cilicia under the Persian Empire, minted this stater of Tarsus. Editor: It's incredible how such a small object carries so much weight, both literally at 10.7 grams and figuratively, evoking the past. The worn texture speaks volumes. Curator: Absolutely. The stater connects us to the political struggles of the 4th century BCE, with Datames asserting autonomy through coinage, reflecting the fraught relationship between the Persian center and its peripheries. Editor: The composition itself is fascinating; the opposing portraits, one seemingly divine, the other martial, create a powerful visual dichotomy. The semiotic weight of those images! Curator: Indeed, they underscore the complex layers of identity and power at play during that era. The imagery references Greek iconography while promoting local Cilician interests. Editor: Thinking about its scale makes me wonder how people experienced it in the hand; the cool, hard metal a constant reminder of value and authority. Curator: A potent symbol circulating within overlapping networks of power and commerce. Editor: It is amazing how such a small coin reflects such big ideas. Curator: Precisely, the stater allows us to reconsider conventional understandings of empire and resistance.