Coin of Mallus under Diadumenian c. 217 - 218

Curator: This is a coin of Mallus under Diadumenian, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Its weight is about 14 grams. Editor: It looks like it has really suffered from the passage of time. There is a face on one side, maybe an emperor? And a building on the other. Curator: Indeed. The depiction on one side represents Diadumenian himself, while the reverse shows what appears to be a temple facade. What interests me most is how this coin circulated; it was both a symbol of power and a tool of everyday transactions. Editor: I agree. The wear on the coin tells a story of its constant handling, use, and exchange. It links the Emperor to the everyday activities of people in Mallus. Curator: Precisely, it shows us the confluence of political authority, material culture, and economic realities of the time. Editor: A powerful statement embedded in a small object. It makes you think about all the hands it passed through.