Coin of Hierapolis-Bambyce under Severus Alexander c. 222 - 235

Editor: Here we have a coin of Hierapolis-Bambyce under Severus Alexander. It's surprisingly weighty at 12.56 grams. What strikes me is how this everyday object served as a tool of power. What do you see when you examine it? Curator: I'm drawn to the material itself. Bronze wasn’t just a commodity; it was a vehicle for propagating imperial ideology. The labor involved in mining, smelting, and striking these coins—consider the social and economic systems needed to make this happen. Editor: So, it’s less about the artistry and more about the process of how it came to be? Curator: Precisely! The coin's value lies not just in its face value but in the complex web of production and consumption it represents. It provides us with tangible insights into ancient economic structures and power dynamics. Editor: That's a totally different way of looking at it; I usually focus on the imagery, but seeing it as a product of labor shifts my perspective. Curator: Indeed. Considering these coins as products of ancient labor expands our interpretation beyond just iconography.