Coin of Mithradates VI, Amisos (Pontos) c. 2th century

Editor: This coin of Mithradates VI from Amisos is incredibly tactile. The worn silver speaks volumes. What strikes you about its materiality and production? Curator: The coin's production reveals a complex economic and social context. Its materiality--the silver itself--suggests access to resources and trade networks. The act of minting, how does that reflect Mithradates's power? Editor: It highlights his control and ability to distribute wealth. So, the very act of creating currency reinforces his reign. What does it tell us about labour? Curator: Exactly. We should also consider the labor involved in mining the silver, refining it, and then the skilled artisans who created the die and struck each coin. That labor, and the control of it, underpins that power structure. Editor: I never thought about it that way, but now I realize the coin isn't just money, it's a symbol of a system.