Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Claudius Gothicus c. 269 - 270

Curator: This is a tetradrachm from Alexandria, issued under Claudius Gothicus. It resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks like it’s been through a lot. The patina gives it this ghostly, almost spectral quality. Curator: Indeed. The wear speaks volumes. Consider the incuse portrait of Claudius II on the obverse. The reverse depicts an allegorical figure—perhaps representing a virtue or deity—though its details are now obscured. Editor: I’m drawn to thinking about the hands it passed through, the transactions it facilitated—what kind of lives did this coin touch? Curator: Materiality is key here: the coin's metallic composition, its weight of 8.69 grams, its dimensions—all dictate its value, function, and, ultimately, its survival through centuries. Editor: For me, it’s a powerful reminder of empire and its long, complex legacy, condensed into a small, handheld object. Curator: It is a testament to the power of symbolic form. Editor: A potent relic, to be sure.