Coin of Ptolemy XII 80 - 51 BCE

Curator: This is a coin of Ptolemy XII, Neos Dionysos, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums and weighing just over 5 grams. Editor: It’s fascinating how such a small object can feel so weighty. It's dark and worn, almost like a tiny, ancient relic pulled straight from the earth. Curator: Indeed. Coins served not only as currency but also as tools of propaganda, disseminating the ruler’s image and projecting power. Editor: Look at the detail in the relief; the headdress, and what might be a cornucopia. It's laden with symbols of power and prosperity. Ptolemy wanted his image to stick. Curator: Certainly. The Ptolemaic dynasty, ruling Egypt after Alexander the Great, strategically used iconography to legitimize their reign in the eyes of both Greek and Egyptian populations. Editor: To hold something like this connects us to a long chain of human experience, to ancient economies and the visual language of power. Curator: Precisely. A coin whispers stories of trade, political maneuvering, and the enduring human desire to leave a mark. Editor: A tangible fragment of history, ready to be interpreted.