Hemidrachm of Ariobarzanes of Cappadocia 

Editor: Here we have a Hemidrachm of Ariobarzanes of Cappadocia, by Ariobarzanes I. Looking at this coin, I'm struck by the way the material itself, likely silver, has survived and carries so much history. What do you see in this piece, considering its function as currency? Curator: The material tells the story. Silver wasn't just a pretty metal; it represented economic power. This coin wasn't merely a portrait, but a claim about controlling resources, labor, and trade routes. Who mined the silver? How were the dies created? These are the questions that reveal the political realities embedded in something as small as this coin. Editor: So, it's less about the artistry and more about the coin as a product of its economic system? Curator: Precisely. It's a material record of power dynamics. Editor: That gives me a whole new way to appreciate the coin's value.