As far as I can tell, this
type was virtually unknown until 1999, despite the coin having been in Giovanni
Dattari's (1858-1923)
collection over 100 years ago. He acquired it after the publication of
his 1901
catalog, so it remained unpublished until 1999, when
Savio published the pencil rubbings of 12,500 of
Dattari's Alexandrian coins (DS 12335 / 9892bis = this coin illustrated). Keith
Emmett published
his Alexandrian Coins in 2001, referencing it as
type 3101 (7). (And now
RPC VI 10362
[LINK].)
New
Provincial types aren't always important, but it seems like this one may be relevant to
contemporary events in interesting ways....
Egypt, Alexandria. Severus Alexander (Aug., 222-235 CE) BI Tetradrachm (24mm, 12.44g, 12h). Struck 227/8 CE (Year 7).
Obv: Α ΚΑΙ ΜΑΡ ΑΥ ϹƐΥ ΑΛƐΞΑΝΔΡΟϹ. Laureate, draped,
cuirassed bust r.
Rev: L – Z.
Elpis l., holding flower, raising skirt.
Refs:
Dattari-Savio 12335 / DS 9892bis (this coin illustrated) =
RPC VI Online 10362 (this coin illustrated)
[LINK] = Emmet 3101 (7) (this coin).
Provenance: Ex-Giovanni
Dattari (1858-1923)
Collection; HJB (
inv. # cc33653, n.d., but 19 Aug 2019); unknown dealer (
inv. # 779 - HZHQANUSB, n.d.,
[LINK] anyone recognize?);
CNG EA 505 (1
Dec 2021), Lot 361 (
corr.,
Dattari); Rocky Mountain
Collection;
Current Disposition:
Curtis JJ
Collection. Coin appears in my
gallery:
[LINK].
Dattari's rubbing (c. 1901-1913, from the 2007 edition of
Savio):
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:The usual perspective seems to be that most of the
reverse types on Alexandrian coinage were "stock images" and didn't particularly reflect current events or political goals. Given the historical circumstances, though, I wonder if the imagery doesn't hold some significance in this case.
Elpis was the Greek equivalent of the
Roman Spes, or "
Hope." From the
Numiswiki: "
Spes was the
Roman personification of
Hope (the Greek equivalent was
Elpis). According the Hesiod's famous story,
Elpis was the last to escape the Pandora's box..."
This was her first appearance on an Alexandrian coin of
Severus Alexander. Importantly, it was minted alongside a matching
Tetradrachm of
his mother,
Julia Mamaea (see
RPC VI 10376
[LINK]).
Dattari's rubbing of
his Julia Mamaea Year 7
Elpis Tetradrachm (image from
RPC,
not my coin):
The significance of
Mamaea's coin is that she
had been entirely absent from Alexandrian coinage in Year 6. Instead, during Year 6,
Severus Alexander's wife
Orbiana had taken
Mamaea's place on the Alexandrian coinage as the only royal lady depicted on the coinage. (
Orbiana and
Mamaea had overlapped in Year 5 only.) Now, in Year 7,
Orbiana disappears and
Mamaea takes back her place as the sole regnal family member depicted.
Those who know
Severan history, and the
fate of
Orbiana, will recognize the connection:
In Year 7 (227 CE),
Orbiana was accused of conspiring to overthrow
Severus Alexander and install her father, Seius Sallustius, as Emperor.
Orbiana was exiled to
Libya -- her
fate uncertain. (Her father was killed.)
Unrelated, but that same year, there was great turmoil in
Rome, including rioting and the murder of Ulpian, a prefect and close
Severan advisor. (Murdered in the presence of
Alexander and
Mamaea.) For whatever reason,
Severus Alexander was reportedly politically unable to openly punish the person responsible for the uprising -- Epagathus. Instead, Epagathaus was sent to
Egypt purportedly to rule as Governor. He was then (how much later?) removed to
Crete and finally executed.
The
Orbiana events clearly happened in time for the Alexandrian
mint to respond and replace her on the coinage with
Mamaea. I don't know if the Ulpian-Epagathus events could've happened early enough in the year to contribute to the climate.
Given all the Year 7 turmoil, though, and its relation to N.
Africa and
Egypt, it makes sense that
Severus Alexander and
Julia Mamaea would want to strike coinage that sent a message of "
Hope" for a better future!
Biblio:Contemporary Accounts:
Historia Augusta,
Sev. Alex. 1
[LINK]; Cassius Dio,
Roman History, Book 80
[LINK];
Herodian's
History of the Roman Empire, Book 5
[LINK] and 6
[LINK].
See also: Matthies, Sandra (2014),
Die Ikonographie alexandrinischer Münzbilder in der Epoche der severischen Kaiser (193-235 n. Chr.) [LINK] [especially p. 119-121] on the Year 10
Elpis coinage and its possible relation to current events and war in
Persia.