I would like to ask Colleagues for their opinion on the originality of the
Hostilian bronze from the
Antioch Mint -
BMC 628.
Hostilian AE29 of
Antioch obv. ΓO VAΛ OCTIΛ
IAN ME KVINTOC KECAΡ, Bare-headed, draped
bust right,
rev. ANTIOXEΩN MHTΡO KOΛΩN,
Tetrastyle temple containing figure of city of
Orontes; above temple, ram running right,
head turned back.
This is my first coin of this
type and the first bronze with
Tyche and the personification of
Orontes on the
reverse. From
Antioch, so far I have only
had contact with tetras and the small bronze of
Antoninus Pius. The coin weighs 16.53 grams with a
diameter of 30 mm and a thickness between 2.9 and 3 mm. Generally, the
obverse and
reverse do not raise any doubts in terms of
style and workmanship, but this is the first time I have come across such an edge of an antique coin with quite regular, slightly tilted lines. The disc is nice, round and practically the same thickness over the entire surface, which also raises my doubts. It is completely different than in the case of sesterces or other imperial bronzes. In addition, the edge is slightly inclined, in cross-section it would resemble a rhombus, something like in the attached drawing. It was supposed to be the first interesting purchase of
provincial coins, including
Hostilian, but unfortunately I may give up on
Roman provincial coins.
