By Peter K. Tompa, December 5, 2023
Mike Markowitz is a defense analyst and wargame designer for the U.S. military by trade, but his avocation is collecting ancient Byzantine gold coins. Mike focuses on more than his own collection; he also devotes substantial amounts of his free time to learning more about all types of ancient and medieval coins so he can pursue outreach efforts aimed at teaching others about them. As “Second Counsel” for the Ancient Numismatic Society of Washington, D.C. and Vice President of the Fairfax Coin Club in Virginia, Mike has planned and given educational programs about ancient and medieval coins geared to fellow collectors. Mike has also written extensively about particular coin issues and the ancient cultures that made them for “CoinWeek.com,” an online publication. However, Mike’s most rewarding efforts relate to using ancient Roman coins as teaching tools for kids.
Latin students at the Hill School in Middleburg, Va., are just one group that has benefited from Mike’s expertise. In their case, Mike’s lecture is just part of a much more comprehensive program. The Hill School’s Latin teacher, Dean of Students Christie Lovelette, integrates genuine ancient Roman coins into her lesson plan to further engage her students.
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