Coin of Perge under Philip I 244 - 249

Curator: This unassuming little thing is a coin from Perge, minted under Philip I, who, rather intriguingly, was also known as Philip the Arab. Editor: It looks almost…forgotten. Weathered and worn. Like something you’d find buried in the garden and not even realize its significance. Curator: Exactly! It’s easy to overlook, but this coin speaks volumes about power, trade, and cultural exchange in the Roman Empire. Philip's reign, though brief, reminds us that even empires are shaped by individuals from unexpected backgrounds. Editor: The image on one side seems to depict a gate or a temple façade. I wonder what narratives it's meant to convey about Perge as a site of imperial importance. Curator: Probably trying to project strength and Roman values, right? But what I see is that it connects us to a real human being, making decisions, hoping to leave a mark, just like us. It shrinks the distance of time. Editor: It's a tangible link to the past, inviting us to reimagine the social and political dynamics of the era and to question what we think we know about ancient power structures. Curator: Right, it makes you wonder, doesn’t it, about all the untold stories that lie beneath the surface of even the smallest artifact.