Drachm of Antiochos VII Eurgetes of Syria c. 138

Curator: This is a Drachm, a silver coin, of Antiochos VII Eurgetes of Syria, now part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Isn’t it marvelous how something so small can hold so much history? Editor: It feels… serious. Even somber. That profile, etched in silver, has a weightiness that belies its size. Curator: As currency issued by Antiochos, it served not just as money but as a form of political messaging. Coins like these were tools to project power. Editor: I see power, yes, but also vulnerability. Time has worn away at it. It whispers of empires fading, doesn't it? That face, once so important, is now just a ghostly outline. Curator: It's a tangible link to a specific time and place, and to the man who commissioned it. Every detail was deliberate, down to the metal chosen. Editor: Exactly! It's a poignant reminder that even the grandest ambitions ultimately succumb to entropy. There’s beauty in that truth, though, wouldn’t you say? Curator: Absolutely. It's a beauty shaped by historical forces, economic necessity, and personal ambition. Editor: And felt through art.