Follis of Alexandria under Maximinus II Daza 308

Editor: Here we have a Follis of Alexandria under Maximinus II Daza. It’s small, but what I find striking is its worn texture and how it speaks to a long history. What can we learn from this coin? Curator: Coins like these reveal much about the political landscape and power dynamics of the Roman Empire. Maximinus Daza seized power amidst a period of intense social and political upheaval. How might this imagery have been used to legitimize his rule, particularly in Alexandria, a region with its own distinct cultural identity? Editor: So, the imagery on the coin served as propaganda? Curator: Precisely. Consider the figure depicted on the reverse. Who might this represent, and what values does it embody? The coin becomes a medium through which imperial power communicated, negotiated, and perhaps even imposed its vision upon a diverse populace. Editor: I didn’t think about it that way. It’s fascinating to see how even something so small can reflect larger struggles for power and identity. Curator: Indeed. It invites us to question whose stories are being told, and whose are being erased, within the grand narrative of history.