Coin of Alexander the Great, Macedonia mint c. 336

Editor: This is a coin of Alexander the Great, struck in Macedonia. It's really small, and the images are worn, but I think I see a figure and a horse. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Indeed! This coin is a window into Alexander's self-fashioning. Consider the head of Herakles, a divine ancestor, on one side. What associations might that evoke in the viewer? Editor: Power, strength, maybe even destiny? Curator: Precisely. And then the horse, a symbol of power and conquest. These images weren't just currency; they were carefully chosen symbols of Alexander's ambition, meant to travel throughout his empire. Editor: So, the coin isn't just money, it's propaganda. That’s quite interesting! Curator: Exactly! Symbols like these have a lasting impact on how we remember historical figures.