Coins and Antiquities Consignment Shop
  10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Please Call Us If You Have Questions 252-646-1958 Expert Authentication - Accurate Descriptions - Reasonable Prices - Coins From Under $10 To Museum Quality Rarities 10% Off Store-Wide Sale Until 2 April!!! All Items Purchased From Forum Ancient Coins Are Guaranteed Authentic For Eternity!!! Internet Challenged? We Are Happy To Take Your Order Over The Phone 252-646-1958 Explore Our Website And Find Joy In The History, Numismatics, Art, Mythology, And Geography Of Coins!!!

×Catalog Main Menu
Fine Coins Showcase

Antiquities Showcase
New & Reduced

Mar 27, 2024

Mar 26, 2024

Mar 25, 2024

Mar 24, 2024

Mar 23, 2024

Mar 22, 2024

Mar 21, 2024

Mar 20, 2024

Mar 19, 2024

Mar 18, 2024

Mar 17, 2024
Judean & Biblical Coins

Mar 16, 2024

Mar 15, 2024

Mar 14, 2024

Mar 13, 2024

Mar 12, 2024

Mar 11, 2024

Mar 10, 2024

Mar 09, 2024

Mar 08, 2024

Feb 09, 2024
Medieval & Modern Coins

Feb 01, 2024
Medieval & Modern Coins

Jan 20, 2024

Jan 19, 2024
Judean & Biblical Coins

Nov 19, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins

Oct 24, 2023

Oct 14, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins

Oct 09, 2023

Oct 05, 2023

Sep 29, 2023

Sep 26, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Sep 22, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Sep 21, 2023

Sep 12, 2023

Sep 10, 2023

Sep 06, 2023

Sep 03, 2023

Aug 16, 2023

Aug 01, 2023

Jul 12, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Jul 11, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Jul 10, 2023

Jul 07, 2023

Jul 05, 2023

Jul 04, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Jul 03, 2023

Jul 02, 2023

Jun 16, 2023

Apr 27, 2023

Apr 12, 2023

Apr 01, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Mar 28, 2023

Mar 27, 2023

Mar 26, 2023

Mar 24, 2023

Mar 22, 2023

Mar 18, 2023

Mar 17, 2023

Mar 16, 2023

Mar 14, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Mar 12, 2023

Mar 08, 2023

Feb 19, 2023

Feb 18, 2023

Feb 17, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins

Feb 05, 2023
Themes & Provenance

Jan 21, 2023

Jan 18, 2023

Dec 09, 2022

Nov 22, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins

Nov 21, 2022

Oct 22, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins

Oct 08, 2022

Sep 29, 2022

Sep 16, 2022

Sep 15, 2022

Aug 31, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins

Aug 29, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins

Jul 19, 2022

Jul 12, 2022

Jul 05, 2022

Jun 04, 2022

Jun 02, 2022
Medieval & Modern Coins

Apr 22, 2022

Apr 04, 2022
Themes & Provenance

Mar 18, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins

Mar 17, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins

Mar 14, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins

Mar 13, 2022

Mar 10, 2022

Mar 04, 2022

Oct 15, 2021

Oct 14, 2021

Sep 25, 2021

Apr 21, 2021

Books, Supplies & Services
   View Categories
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Greek Imperial| ▸ |Mesopotamia & Babylonia||View Options:  |  |  | 

Roman Provincial Coins from Mesopotamia and Babylonia
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Edessa, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Elagabalus,| |16| |May| |218| |-| |11| |March| |222| |A.D.,| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |18|NEW
Although the site of Urfa has been inhabited since prehistoric times, the city was founded in 304 B.C. by Seleucus I Nicator and named Edessa after the ancient capital of Macedonia. In the late 2nd century, as the Seleucid dynasty disintegrated, it became the capital of the Arab Nabataean Abgar dynasty, which was successively a Parthian, Armenian, and Roman client state and eventually a Roman province. Its location on the eastern frontier of the Empire meant it was frequently conquered during periods when the Byzantine central government was weak, and for centuries, it was alternately conquered by Arab, Byzantine, Armenian, Turkish rulers. In 1098, the crusader Baldwin of Boulogne convinced the Armenian king to adopt him and then seized power, establishing the first crusader state known as the County of Edessa and imposing Latin Christianity on the Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic majority of the population.Edessa
RP114966. Bronze AE 18, RPC Online VI 7777 (many legend variations); BMC Arabia p. 102, 72 var. (legends); SNG Cop 213 var. (same), aVF, green patina, highlighting reddish earthen deposits, scratches, weight 2.907 g, maximum diameter 17.7 mm, die axis 325o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse AVT(O?) KAIC MAP AYP AN, radiate head left, visible part of shoulder and chest bare; reverse KOΛW MA-P EΔECCA, turreted and veiled bust of Tyche left; $80.00 SALE PRICE $72.00
 


Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D., Edessa, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Gordian| |III,| |29| |July| |238| |-| |25| |February| |244| |A.D.,| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |30|
Tyche (Greek for luck; the Roman equivalent was Fortuna) was the presiding tutelary deity that governed the fortune and prosperity of a city, its destiny. Increasingly during the Hellenistic period, cities had their own specific iconic version of Tyche, wearing a mural crown (a crown like the walls of the city).
RP113161. Bronze AE 30, RPC Online VII.2 3427; SNG Cop 220; BMC Arabia p. 111, 128 ff.; Babelon 86; McClean 9553; SNG Hunt 2565, F, tight flan, weight 15.691 g, maximum diameter 30.1 mm, die axis 180o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, 242 - 244 A.D.; obverse AYTOK K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse MHT KOΛ EΔECCHNΩN, draped, veiled and turreted bust of Tyche left, altar before her, to left of altar, Marsyas (?) standing right on short column, carrying wineskin over shoulder; ex Numismatik Naumann auction 130 (2 Jul 2023), lot 1244 (part of); $60.00 SALE PRICE $54.00
 


Gordian III, 29 July 238 - 25 February 244 A.D., Carrhae, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Gordian| |III,| |29| |July| |238| |-| |25| |February| |244| |A.D.,| |Carrhae,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |31|
Tyche (Greek for luck; the Roman equivalent was Fortuna) was the presiding tutelary deity that governed the fortune and prosperity of a city, its destiny. Increasingly during the Hellenistic period, cities had their own specific iconic version of Tyche, wearing a mural crown (a crown like the walls of the city).
RP112711. Bronze AE 31, RPC Online VII.2 3445 (3 spec.); BMC Arabia p. 89, 55; SNG Cop 187 var. (crescent above Tyche), aVF, off center, dark tone, porosity, weight 14.920 g, maximum diameter 30.5 mm, die axis 0o, Carrhae (Altinbasak, Turkey) mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse AYTOK K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse MHTP KOΛ KAPPHNWN, draped, veiled and turreted bust of Tyche left, before her satyr Marsyas standing right on short column, carrying wineskin over shoulder; first specimen of this type handled by Forum; scarce; $70.00 SALE PRICE $63.00
 


Caracalla, 28 January 198 - 8 April 217 A.D., Edessa, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Caracalla,| |28| |January| |198| |-| |8| |April| |217| |A.D.,| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |20|
During the sole reign of Caracalla a city known as Colonia Metropolis Antoniniana Aurelia Alexandria in Mesopotamia (Osrhoene) issued a series of small bronze coins with Latin legends. These types were attributed by Eckhel to Carrhae and numismatists long perpetuated this attribution. New finds and papyrological evidence instead point to Edessa as the site of this colonia and the mint for these small bronze coins, struck after Caracalla deposed its king, Severus Abgar IX, in 212/213 A.D.
RP112082. Bronze AE 20, Dandrow 1/13 (O8/R10); Lindgren I 2565, Nice F, nice desert patina with highlighting earthen deposits, weight 4.642 g, maximum diameter 19.6 mm, die axis 180o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, 212 - 8 Apr 217 A.D.; obverse M AVR ANTO-NINVS P F AVG (clockwise from upper right), laureate and bearded head right, bare shoulder visible from behind; reverse COL MET ANT-ONINIANA (clockwise from upper right), turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Tyche (city goddess) right; $70.00 SALE PRICE $63.00
 


Kingdom of Edessa, Mesopotamia, Abgar X with Gordian III, 242 - 243 A.D.

|Kingdom| |of| |Edessa|, |Kingdom| |of| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia,| |Abgar| |X| |with| |Gordian| |III,| |242| |-| |243| |A.D.||AE| |25|
Abgar X Frahad bar Manu was raised to the throne when Gordian III recovered Mesopotamia from the Persians. His rule and the Kingdom of Edessa both ended with Gordian's assassination and a Sassanid takeover in 244 A.D.
RY92576. Bronze AE 25, RPC Online VII.2 U3016; BMC Arabia p. 115, 148; Babelon Edessa 97; SNG Cop 226, SNG Hunterian 2576 var. (Gordian radiate), aVF, black patina with highlighting red earthen deposits, porosity, minor flan flaws lower obverse edge, porosity, scratches, reverse a little weak and off center, weight 8.128 g, maximum diameter 24.5 mm, die axis 0o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, 242 - 243 A.D.; obverse AYTOK K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC CEB, laureate bust of Gordian III right, slight drapery on left shoulder, star lower right; reverse ABΓAPOC BACIΛEYC, draped bust of Abgar right, bearded, wearing a diademed Parthian-style tiara, star behind; from the Errett Bishop Collection; SOLD


Kingdom of Elymais, Orodes II, Early - Mid 2nd Century A.D.

|Kingdom| |of| |Elymais|, |Kingdom| |of| |Elymais,| |Orodes| |II,| |Early| |-| |Mid| |2nd| |Century| |A.D.||drachm|
Elymais was the biblical Elam and home of the magi. With its capitol at Susa, it was a small kingdom in what is now Iran and Kuwait. The Kingdom of Elymais struck coins from the middle of the 2nd century B.C. until their defeat by the Sasanians in 227 A.D.
WA93629. Bronze drachm, vant Haaff 13.1.1-1b; BMC Arabia p. 267, 64; Sunrise -, aVF, dark green patina, earthen highlighting, some porosity, edge crack, weight 3.777 g, maximum diameter 15.2 mm, die axis 0o, Early - Mid 2nd century A.D.; obverse bearded diademed bust facing, bunches of hair at sides and on top; to right, pellet inside crescent above anchor with double crossbar; reverse Aramaic legend: King Orodes, Son of Orodes, horned facing bust of Belos, large tufts of hair on each side of head, hair tied on top of head; from the Errett Bishop Collection; SOLD


Kingdom of Edessa, Mesopotamia, Abgar X with Gordian III, 242 - 243 A.D.

|Kingdom| |of| |Edessa|, |Kingdom| |of| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia,| |Abgar| |X| |with| |Gordian| |III,| |242| |-| |243| |A.D.||AE| |24|
Abgar X Frahad bar Manu was raised to the throne when Gordian III recovered Mesopotamia from the Persians. His rule and the Kingdom of Edessa both ended with Gordian's assassination and a Sassanid takeover in 244 A.D.
GB88990. Bronze AE 24, BMC Arabia p. 115, 148; Babelon Edessa 97; cf. SNG Cop 225 (draped and cuirassed), SNG Hunterian 2579 (same), aVF, dark patina with red earthen highlighting, tight flan, porous, weight 9.952 g, maximum diameter 23.2 mm, die axis 0o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, 242 - 243 A.D.; obverse AYTOK K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC CEB, laureate bust of Gordian III right, slight drapery on left shoulder, star lower right; reverse ABΓAPOC BACIΛEYC, draped bust of Abgar right, bearded, wearing a diademed Parthian-style tiara, star behind; ex Dmitry Markov Coins & Medals; SOLD


Kingdom of Edessa, Mesopotamia, Abgar X with Gordian III, 242 - 243 A.D.

|Kingdom| |of| |Edessa|, |Kingdom| |of| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia,| |Abgar| |X| |with| |Gordian| |III,| |242| |-| |243| |A.D.||AE| |25|
Abgar X Frahad bar Manu was raised to the throne when Gordian III recovered Mesopotamia from the Persians. His rule and the Kingdom of Edessa both ended with Gordian's assassination and a Sassanid takeover in 244 A.D.
RP55556. Bronze AE 25, SNG Cop 225; BMC Arabia p. 114, 144; SGICV 5745, gF, edge chip, pitting, weight 9.128 g, maximum diameter 24.5 mm, die axis 0o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, obverse AYTOK K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC CEB, laureate bust of Gordian III right, drapery on left shoulder, star before; reverse ABΓAPOC BACIΛEYC, draped bust of Abgar right, bearded, wearing a diademed Parthian-style tiara, star behind; ex Amphora Coins (David Hendin); SOLD










REFERENCES

Alram, M. Iranisches Personennamenbuch: Nomina Propria Iranica In Nummis. (Vienna, 1986).
Babelon, E. La collection Waddington au cabinet des médailles. (1897-1898).
Babelon, E. Numismatique d'Edessa. (Paris, 1904).
Bellinger, A. The Syrian Tetradrachms of Caracalla and Macrinus. ANSNS 3. (New York, 1940).
Castelin, K. The Coinage of Rhesaena in Mesopotamia. ANSNNM 108. (New York, 1946).
Dandrow, E. "The Latin Coins of Caracalla from Edessa in Osrhoene" in The Numismatic Chronicle, Vol. 176 (2016), pp. 183 - 205, pls. 22 - 24.
De Morgan, J. Monnaies orientales: numismatique de la Perse antique. (Paris, 1927-1933).
Forrer, L. Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Greek Coins formed by Sir Hermann Weber, Vol. III, Part 2. (London, 1929).
Grose, S. Catalogue of the McClean Collection of Greek Coins, Fitzwilliam Museum, Vol. III: Asia Minor, Farther Asia, Egypt, Africa. (Cambridge, 1929).
Hill, G. Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum: Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia. (London, 1922).
Hoover, O. Handbook of Syrian Coins, Royal and Civic Issues, Fourth to First Centuries BC. HGC 9. (Lancaster/London, 2009).
Le Rider, G. Suse Sous les Séleucides et Les Parthes, Les Trouvailles Monétaires et l 'Histoire de la Ville. (Paris, 1965).
Lindgren, H. & F. Kovacs. Ancient Bronze Coins of Asia Minor and the Levant. (San Mateo, 1985).
Lindgren, H. Lindgren III: Ancient Greek Bronze Coins. (Quarryville, 1993).
Martini, R. Monetazione provinciale romana II: Collezione Winsemann Falghera. Glaux 8. (Milan, 1992).
Nelson, B., ed. Numismatic Art of Persia. The Sunrise Collection, Part I: Ancient - 650 BC to AD 650. (Lancaster, PA, 2011).
Prieur, M. & K. Prieur. The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and their fractions from 57 BC to AD 258. (Lancaster, PA, 2000).
RPC Online - http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/
Sear, D. Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values. (London, 1982).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Denmark, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Vol. 7: Cyprus to India. (West Milford, NJ, 1982).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung der Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig. (München, 1993 - 2008).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Great Britain XII, The Hunterian Museum, Univ. of Glasgow, Part 2: Roman Provincial Coins: Cyprus-Egypt. (Oxford, 2008).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Italy, Milano, Civiche Raccolte Numismatiche, XII. Syria-Bactria et India. (Milan, 1991-1992).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Schweiz II, Katalog der Sammlung Jean-Pierre Righetti im Bernischen Historischen Museum. (Bern, 1993).
Tyler-Smith, S. "A parcel of Persis drachms, half drachms and obols" in Numismatic Chronicle 164 (2004), pp. 253-271, pls. 29 - 33.
van't Haaff, P. Catalogue of Elymaean Coinage, ca. 147 B.C. - A.D. 228. (Lancaster, PA. 2007).

Catalog current as of Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Page created in 1.922 seconds.
All coins are guaranteed for eternity