Coin of Ptolemy VIII, Alexandria c. 145

Editor: This is a coin of Ptolemy VIII from Alexandria. It's small and worn, but even after all this time, I can make out what looks like an eagle. What might that symbol mean? Curator: The eagle is a potent image, one that carries echoes of power and divinity across millennia. It was adopted by the Ptolemies as a symbol of their rule, connecting them to Zeus, king of the gods. What emotions does this connection evoke in you? Editor: It makes me think about how rulers want to legitimize themselves. Curator: Exactly! Symbols offer a way to claim cultural memory. They create visual narratives that shape how we perceive power. The coin, therefore, isn't just money. It's propaganda. Editor: So much history in something so small. I'll never look at coins the same way again!