Coin of Antiochos VIII Grypos of Syria c. 121 - 196

Curator: Here we have a coin of Antiochos VIII Grypos of Syria, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Its patinated surface and the shallow relief give it a solemn, weathered feel. I immediately think of the weight of history it carries. Curator: Coins, of course, weren’t just currency. They served as propaganda, disseminating the ruler's image and legitimacy throughout the kingdom. The portrait on one side and the symbolic figure on the other communicated power dynamics. Editor: The figure, possibly Zeus, is rigidly symmetrical, almost hieratic. Its placement within the circular frame creates a powerful focal point. Curator: That symbolism would have been deeply understood within the culture. It was a language of power and identity available to everyone. Editor: It's amazing how such a small object can hold so much cultural and political meaning. Curator: Exactly. These coins acted as crucial communicators in their time, and they continue to speak to us across the centuries.