Coin of Alexandria under Commodus c. 189 - 190

Curator: How fragile, yet enduring—this ancient coin. It makes you wonder about the hands it passed through, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. Consider that this coin, minted in Alexandria under Commodus, circulated during a period of immense social and political upheaval. Curator: I see a worn lion, almost a ghostly echo on its surface. It is strange to think Commodus, quite the personality, had his name on this. Editor: Indeed. The lion evokes not just power, but perhaps the very economic power structures Commodus' reign upheld—or, arguably, undermined. Curator: There’s something melancholic about it, isn't there? This tangible piece of history, whispering of forgotten lives. Editor: It's a poignant reminder of the links between imperial ambition and everyday economic realities, seen through a modern lens. Curator: Exactly. It is an art piece that has truly made me reflect. Editor: A small object, a big story.