Drachm of Menander I Soter of Baktria c. 160

Curator: Here we have a Drachm of Menander I Soter of Baktria, a silver coin currently held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It's like holding history in your hand, isn’t it? It looks so worn, it has that well-travelled feel, like a pebble smoothed by the sea. Curator: The coin's design is quite striking, isn't it? We see the bust of Menander on one side, regal in his diadem, with Athena Alkidemos depicted on the reverse, holding a shield and thunderbolt. Editor: Athena with a lightning bolt! Sounds about right for a ruler trying to make a statement. I wonder what stories it could tell if it could talk. Curator: Precisely. The symbology used is fascinating. It speaks volumes about Menander's Hellenistic identity and the cultural exchange happening in the region at the time. Editor: It's almost humbling, thinking about the touch of human hands across the ages. It makes me wonder about all the things we deem valuable now, and what will survive of us. Curator: A poignant question indeed. I appreciate how this small coin encapsulates complex ideas of power, identity, and cultural fusion. Editor: Totally. And from an object that could probably fit on my thumbnail! It's the best kind of art really, isn't it? Making us think differently.