Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian c. 291 - 292

Curator: The Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian is a fascinating artifact. Immediately, I’m drawn to the coin's weathered copper surface and the shallow relief. Editor: The wear speaks volumes about its journey through time and use. Who was represented here, and what power dynamics were at play? Curator: Diocletian, of course. The image served to reinforce his authority, his position within the vast Roman Empire—a potent form of propaganda circulated amongst the populace of Alexandria. Editor: And the choice of copper? It grounds the Emperor in the everyday, accessible to many, yet also inherently tied to labor, extraction, and the realities of the empire's reach. Curator: It is fascinating to consider how this small object carried such a heavy weight of symbolic meaning, power, and identity within a complex society. Editor: Indeed. The coin's very materiality reminds us of the intricate networks of production and consumption that sustained the empire.