Coin of Lysimachus? c. 4th century

Curator: This small coin, weighing only 2.55 grams, is tentatively identified as a Coin of Lysimachus. Lysimachus was one of Alexander the Great's generals. Editor: It looks so lonely, doesn't it? A tiny, worn artifact reflecting the vast empire of a long-gone era. Curator: Indeed. Consider the role coinage played in consolidating power and projecting a leader's image. This wasn't just currency; it was propaganda. Editor: Absolutely. The portrait on the coin—presumably Lysimachus himself—embodies the male gaze and solidifies a legacy that might obscure other voices. How did women and marginalized people experience this "great" era? Curator: A necessary question. Coinage standardized economies, but also inscribed hierarchies. Editor: Exactly. An artifact holding power dynamics in its very material. So much history, and so much exclusion, contained in this tiny coin.