Tetradrachm of Alexander the Great, Amphipolis c. 315

Editor: So, this is a Tetradrachm of Alexander the Great, from Amphipolis. It's a coin, so it's small, but there are all these tiny details. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, its survival, of course! Just imagine the stories this little piece of metal could tell. The way the light catches the profile of Alexander...it's like a whisper from antiquity, a tangible link to a man who dreamed of conquering the world. Editor: A whisper, I like that. I hadn't really thought of it that way. What about the reverse side with Zeus? Curator: Ah, Zeus! Powerful, seated, holding an eagle... It's propaganda, of course, legitimizing Alexander's rule. But look closer, at the craftsmanship, the attempt to capture the divine in miniature. Isn't it humbling, to consider the weight of history pressed into such a small space? Editor: It is. I'll never look at a coin the same way again.