Drachm of Mithradates VI of Pontos 86 BCE

Editor: This drachm, of Mithradates VI of Pontos, shows its age. What do you see in a piece like this, beyond just an old coin? Curator: I see power and its performance. Mithradates, not just a ruler, but a figure mythologizing himself through coinage. How does this act of self-representation intersect with the socio-political turbulence of his reign and resistance against Roman expansion? It's an early form of propaganda. Editor: So, the coin is more about the message than the money? Curator: Precisely. It’s about crafting an image, controlling a narrative. Consider the symbolism, its intended audience, and the power dynamics at play. Currency as cultural artifact. Editor: I never thought of a coin as a form of resistance before. Curator: These objects offer a lens through which to view history, revealing the multifaceted ways in which power and identity were negotiated in the ancient world.