An odd series of coins were produced at (or for)
Antioch under the reigns of
Vespasian,
Trajan, and
Hadrian. All of the coins differed from locally produced coins in terms of
style (they
had a "finer"
style), composition (they were produced in
orichalcum), and in
die axis (6 h vs. 12h for local coinage).
Once attributed to
Commagene, it is generally agreed that these coins were either minted in
Rome for use in
Antioch, or were produced in
Antioch using dies, metal, and people that were shipped there from
Rome.
Under
Vespasian, these coins were produced in four different "
denominations" (similarly for
Trajan and
Hadrian, as well as other
types), each of which was produced for
Vespasian,
Titus, and
Domitian:
Large (~12.5g),
reverse is crossed cornucopias with a winged cadeceus between.
Medium (~6.5g),
reverse is SC in
laurel wreath (appearance very different from local SC reverses)
Small (~4.3g),
reverse is
bust of
Tyche Smallest(~3g),
reverse is winged
caduceusThe coins below are the three examples of the small
denomination with
Tyche on the
reverse. What is particularly interesting to me is that
the portrait of Tyche is notable Flavian (thicker neck, sort of pinched facial features, etc.) and is generally not very feminine. What do you think? Doesn't
Tyche look like
Titus or Domitian's sister (
poor girl)?
Tyche on the
Domitian coin looks a
bit better, but
still somewhat masculine.
Here are the three coins. Note that all share the same
reverse: ANTI-OCHIA, turreted
bust of
Tyche, r.
Vespasian, AD 73-74,
Rome mint for use in
Antioch, 19mm, 4.11g, 6h
Obv: Laureate
head r.;
IMP 
VESP AVG P
M
T
P
RPC II, 1987;
Butcher 7
Titus, AD 73-74,
Rome mint for use in
Antioch, 19mm, 4.40g, 6h
Obv: Laureate
head r.; T
CAES IMP TR
POTRPC II, 1997;
Butcher 8
Domitian, AD 73-74,
Rome mint for use in
Antioch, 18mm, 4.06g, 6h
Obv: Laureate
head l.;
CAESAR DOMIT
COS IIRPC II, 2004;
Butcher 9
Thanks,
Mark
