Coin of Rabbel II of Nabataea c. 40 - 70

Curator: This is a coin of Rabbel II, King of Nabataea, currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The wear suggests quite a history! Editor: It feels like something pulled straight from the earth, weighty with stories etched into its very substance. What was this coin made of? Curator: It's silver. The effigies stamped on its faces are a potent blend of cultural symbolism: the king himself rendered in the Hellenistic style and likely some Nabataean deities. Editor: Silver production would have been hugely important. Who controlled the mines? What kind of labor went into minting the coin? It's more than just currency, it is a physical assertion of power. Curator: Exactly! Currency is a symbolic language itself. These images connect Rabbel II to a wider lineage, a projection of stability and divine right. Editor: Considering the coin's size and material, it's a perfect illustration of how rulers could literally hold power in their hands. Curator: It is amazing to think about the legacy that a small object like this can have. Editor: I agree. Its survival speaks to the enduring power of material objects to carry history forward.