Tetradrachm of Antiochos I Soter of Syria, Laodikeia ad Mare in the name of Seleukos c. 261

Curator: This is a tetradrachm of Antiochos I Soter of Syria, struck in Laodikeia ad Mare, honouring Seleukos. Editor: It feels… burdened. Not just by age, but by the weight of empire. Like a silver sigh. Curator: Absolutely. The coin served as a form of propaganda, a tangible symbol of power and legitimacy during a period of political complexity. Editor: And what’s more intimate than money, right? This little disc passed through so many hands, whispering the emperor's name, ensuring loyalty and trade. Curator: Indeed. It embodies the intersection of art, economics, and political power in the Hellenistic world. Editor: It makes me wonder about all the lost stories embedded in its metal. Curator: Precisely. And today, it still holds the power to teach us about a long gone era. Editor: That’s beautiful. It is a sort of time capsule then, isn’t it?