Drachm of Ariobarzanes I, Philoromaios 95 BCE - 63 BCE

Editor: So, we're looking at a Drachm of Ariobarzanes I, Philoromaios. It's a tiny coin from around the 1st century BCE. There's something so immediate about holding history in your hand like this. What stories do you think it whispers? Curator: Ah, whispers indeed! I see a delicate dance between power and fragility. Ariobarzanes, caught between empires, Rome especially, trying to assert himself through... well, his face, quite literally stamped for posterity. Look at the subtle wear, each graze a testament to its journey. Do you sense the tension in the image? Editor: Definitely, there's something a bit melancholy about it, despite its function as currency. Curator: Melancholy, yes, a kind of noble weariness, perhaps. And on the reverse, Athena, a beacon of Roman influence… It's a poignant reminder that even empires fade, leaving behind only these small, enduring echoes. What a treasure.