RPC 2464 Titus Tetradrachm

Silver tetradrachm

AYTOK TITOY KAIΣO YEΣΠAΣIANOY ΣEB
laureate head of Titus right

ΣAPAΠIΣ
bust of Sarapis right, wearing taenia, modius on head ornamented with branches of laurel, date LB (year 2) right

Alexandria mint, 29 Aug 79 - 28 Aug 80 A.D

12.254g, 25.4mm

9 Specimens

Milne 456 - 457; Geissen 319; Dattari 426; cf. BMC Alexandria p. 34, 281 (year 3); Emmett 235; RPC 2464

Ex-Forum

2011 Forum Best of Type winner

This is the Wildwinds example

Ptolemy Soter, wanting to integrate Egyptian religion with that of their Hellenic rulers, by promoted worship of Serapis as a deity that would win the reverence of both groups alike. This was despite the curses of the Egyptian priests against the gods of previous foreign rulers (i.e Set who was lauded by the Hyksos). Alexander the Great had attempted to use Amun for this purpose, but Amum was more prominent in Upper Egypt, and not as popular in Lower Egypt, where the Greeks had stronger influence. The Greeks had little respect for animal-headed figures, and so an anthropomorphic statue was chosen as the idol, and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. It was named Aser-hapi (i.e. Osiris-Apis), which became Serapis, and was said to be Osiris in full, rather than just his Ka (life force). Ptolemy's efforts were successful - in time Serapis was held by the Egyptians in the highest reverence above all other deities, and he was adored in Athens and other Greek cities.