Coin of Pella under Gordian III c. 3th century

Curator: Here we have a "Coin of Pella under Gordian III," weighing in at 9.05 grams. It's fascinating to consider how such a small object can carry so much historical weight. Editor: It has a rather somber feel, doesn't it? The patinated bronze gives it this aged gravitas. One side presents the bust of Gordian, while the other shows a seated figure. Curator: The image of Gordian is striking; the laurel wreath a potent symbol of victory and imperial authority, while the seated figure on the reverse, likely Tyche, the goddess of fortune, speaks to the aspirations for prosperity and stability of the city. Editor: And that's the clever tension, isn't it? The material, humble bronze, juxtaposed with the grand symbols of power and divine favor. Think of the labor involved in its crafting, multiplied by thousands of these coins. Curator: It shows us that these symbols aren't static; they're constantly being reinterpreted and renegotiated depending on time and place. Editor: Absolutely, and it's this very tension between the material and the symbolic that makes it such a compelling object. Curator: Indeed. Examining such an object is like touching the past itself.