Coin of Perge under Philip II 247 - 249

Curator: At first glance, this coin seems to embody the very essence of decay and age. Editor: Indeed. We’re looking at a coin minted in Perge under Philip II, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Its composition, that worn bronze, speaks of countless transactions and lives touched. Curator: And of course, the very act of minting, a physical process that transforms raw metal into currency, reflects the control and authority of the ruling power. Think of the labor involved, the social context of trade… Editor: Absolutely. Coins were not merely instruments of economic exchange. They were potent symbols of power, disseminating the image of the ruler and reinforcing his legitimacy throughout the realm. The iconography itself becomes a form of political messaging. Curator: It’s fascinating how such a small object can encapsulate so much about an era’s material culture and power structures. Editor: Agreed. It makes you wonder about the hands it passed through, the stories it could tell about the economy and the political climate of its time.