Coin of Perge under Philip II 247 - 249

Curator: Before us, we have a bronze coin from Perge, minted during the reign of Philip II. It weighs nearly 7 grams and resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is of something weathered and mysterious. The surfaces seem almost eroded, obscuring the imagery. Curator: Precisely. The wear speaks volumes. Coins like this served as a potent symbol of power, circulating images and ideologies throughout Philip's kingdom. Editor: The degradation, however, complicates a reading. One can discern an indistinct portrait on one side, a standing figure on the other. The formal elements are very hard to make out. Curator: Perhaps, but the obscured images heighten the symbolic weight. The idea of authority and the passage of time are quite literally stamped onto the metal. It's a tangible link to a distant past. Editor: I suppose. The very circularity speaks to a contained, self-referential system of power, regardless of the legibility of the icons embedded within. Curator: It reminds us how objects can hold both explicit and implicit narratives, shaped by intention and accident. Editor: Indeed. A small thing that looms large.