Coin of Perge under Gallienus 253 - 268

Curator: Here we have a coin from Perge, issued during the reign of Gallienus. Editor: It feels like staring at an ancient, weathered landscape. The textures, the muted greens and browns, evoke a sense of immense time. Curator: Note how the circular form lends itself to symbolic interpretations, suggesting cycles, wholeness. Even fragmented, its structure resonates with power. Editor: And consider the labor involved! Mining the metals, striking the die, the hands it passed through – a direct line to an ancient economy and the reach of empire. The patination is part of its story, evidence of exchange. Curator: The coin is defaced, but we can still make out the formal composition. Imagine it pristine, reflecting the emperor's authority. Editor: I’m less interested in the emperor and more in what this coin *did* - the daily commerce, the hands that held it, the value it represented in bread or shelter. Curator: A compelling alternative reading. Editor: Indeed. A glimpse of the quotidian made precious by time.