Drachm of Ariobarzanes I 96 BCE-63 BCE

Curator: Let's turn our attention to this Drachm, a coin of Ariobarzanes I. Editor: It's surprisingly small, yet it feels monumental, burdened by the weight of history and commerce. Curator: Indeed, the visual vocabulary is potent. Observe the careful articulation of the king's profile, the emphasis on line and form. Editor: And think of the labor involved in its creation! The mining of the silver, the die-cutting, the striking itself—it's a microcosm of an economic system. I wonder how many hands it passed through? Curator: Perhaps it served as a symbolic embodiment of royal power, a representation of currency meeting art. Editor: Its material existence tells a story beyond mere commerce, though, doesn't it? Curator: It certainly does. A numismatic object such as this can offer a glimpse into the past through semiotics. Editor: Yes, and through its very matter.