This Persian coin, Daric, was first minted during the regime of Darius. Today it is one of the most valuable coins in the world. The coins are incredibly rare today even though the were widely used at the time because when Alexander the Great invaded Persia he melted down Darics and recoined them with his own image.
I have already seen many instances throughout this course of when art has helped archaeologists, historians, and the like learn about the past. The practice of putting rulers on coins began in the 4th century BCE during the rule of Darius. Since we know the approximate reign of ancient rulers it is possible to date objects found during excavations by using coins found with them!
It is fascinating to me that the practice of using coins as propaganda has lasted through the centuries.
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