Coin of Mithridates VI of Pontus c. 2th century

Curator: At the Harvard Art Museums we have a fascinating object: a silver coin issued by Mithridates VI of Pontus. Editor: It looks worn, yet imposing. The relief portrait seems to project power despite its diminutive scale. Curator: Indeed. Notice the deliberate arrangement of the hair, how it frames the face and lends a sense of dynamism. It's a statement of authority. Editor: Absolutely, but also a pointed one. Minting coins with his own image was a means for Mithridates to project not only leadership, but also Hellenistic identity in a region with complex cultural dynamics. Curator: A superb point! The semiotic weight of that image is significant, carrying messages of leadership, divinity, and cultural alignment. Editor: Considering Mithridates' tumultuous reign, fraught with conflict and cultural clashes, this coin becomes more than currency. It's propaganda, a tangible symbol of power struggles. Curator: Precisely. I find the formal elegance of the design beautifully balanced by the weight of its historical context. Editor: And for me, it serves as a potent reminder of how deeply intertwined art, power, and identity have always been.