Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian c. 291 - 292

Editor: Here we have a Tetradrachm of Alexandria under Diocletian, a small, worn coin. It's incredible to think about the hands it passed through. What can you tell us about it? Curator: I see a fascinating study in the material life of power. The coin itself, its metallic composition, the labor to extract and mold it, and the social structures enabling Diocletian's image to be stamped upon it, all speak to the empire's reach and means of production. Editor: So, you're less interested in Diocletian himself and more in the coin as a product of its time? Curator: Precisely. Think of the mines, the workshops, the trade routes—all feeding into this small object. It's a tangible link to the economic and social forces at play. Editor: That's a completely different perspective than I expected! Thanks for opening my eyes to the coin's industrial context.