Coin of Astyra with head of Tissaphernes c. 400

Curator: Take a look at this coin from Astyra, featuring the head of Tissaphernes. Editor: It's tiny! And so worn, almost illegible. The relief is nearly gone. Curator: Indeed, its small size and state of preservation belie its importance. As a satrap in the Achaemenid Empire, Tissaphernes wielded immense power, and this coin would have served as a potent symbol of his authority. Editor: I see a face, profile, on one side; the other side looks like some figure with drapery, but so faint... What was the stylistic intent here, given the limitations of the medium? Curator: Consider the political implications. By placing his image on currency, Tissaphernes visually asserted his dominion and economic control. It's a declaration aimed at both local and imperial audiences. Editor: A humble medium to carry such grand ambitions, literally worn by time. Curator: Perhaps. Yet its endurance also tells a story of power that transcended its immediate moment. Editor: I'm left pondering the interplay of image, power, and material fragility.