AR Juba II Mauretania 

Editor: Here we have a silver coin, AR Juba II Mauretania, created by Juba II. It's hard to believe something so small could carry so much history. What strikes you most about this little artifact? Curator: I'm captivated by the artistry crammed onto such a tiny surface. Imagine the skill needed to carve those details! It's a window into a world where coinage wasn't just currency; it was propaganda, art, a king's self-portrait in miniature. Almost like a tangible thought from the past. Editor: Propaganda, you say? Curator: Absolutely. Each symbol, the portrait of Juba II himself, the cornucopia on the reverse – all carefully chosen to project power, prosperity, and legitimacy. I wonder, who decided to put the cornucopia there instead of something else? It makes you think of what they valued. Editor: I guess it's easy to forget that even something as small as a coin could be so deliberately crafted to make a statement. Curator: Exactly! And that statement echoes across centuries, right to us. A little shiny whisper of a forgotten kingdom.