Coin of Antioch ad Orontem under Philip the Arab c. 244 - 249

Curator: Here we have a Coin of Antioch ad Orontem under Philip the Arab, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums and weighing in at 15.12 grams. Editor: It looks like it's been dragged out of the earth—all worn and whispery, like a secret you have to strain to hear. Curator: Quite right. The coin's creation reflects the economic and political machinery of Antioch, serving as a tangible symbol of imperial power disseminated through trade and daily transactions. Editor: I see a ghost of a face; a stern, almost haunted visage staring out from the patina, like a memory struggling to surface. It makes you wonder about hands that touched it. Curator: Indeed, and the labor involved in its production, from the mining of the metals to the striking of the design, speaks to a complex system of resource extraction and craft. Editor: It's more than just metal; it's like holding a tiny, weathered planet in your palm, full of histories and untold stories. Curator: Absolutely. Considering the means of production allows us a glimpse into the social fabric of the time. Editor: Yes, it really does change your perception. Curator: It certainly does.