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

Curator: Let's look at this coin, crafted by Mithradates VI Eupator in Amisos, an ancient city in Pontos. It weighs a mere 7.05 grams. Editor: It’s a funny little thing, isn't it? A worn face peering out from… what looks like an artichoke? Curator: Indeed! The coin features a Gorgon's head surrounded by radiating segments, likely representing sun rays, a symbol deeply embedded in Mithradates’s self-mythology. Editor: So he's turning himself into a sun god through this little metal token? How fabulously narcissistic! The other side, though—is that an eagle, all scraggly and urgent looking? Curator: Precisely, it’s an eagle standing on a thunderbolt, a symbol associated with Zeus, further solidifying Mithradates' divine associations. Editor: So, a king, playing demigod, using potent symbols to stamp his claim. It does carry a certain… weight, doesn't it? More than 7.05 grams, I'd say. Curator: Exactly. It's a compact manifesto of power, crafted to resonate far beyond its size.