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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Themes & Provenance| ▸ |Numismatics| ▸ |Pseudo-Autonomous||View Options:   | | | Pseudo-autonomous (or quasi-autonomous) coins were coins struck under the Roman empire by cities or provinces for local use, which do not bear the emperor's portrait or titles - usually replacing them with a famous local citizen (e.g. - Homer), personifications of the Senate or the people, Apollo, Athena, etc. The coinage carries the city or province name, usually on the reverse but occasionally on the obverse. These issues were contemporaneous with the normal Roman provincial issues depicting the emperor, struck from the first through third centuries A.D. |
Possibly struck in the year of Christ's birth! Jesus was born sometime between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C. Matthew describes King Herod as the ruler during the time of the Nativity, and Herod died in 4 B.C. Later, in order to kill Jesus and eliminate him as a rival king, Herod ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents" - the killing of all male children in Bethlehem aged two years and under. This means that Jesus may have been up to two years old already by that time, and this also sets the Nativity between 6 and 4 B.C. The normal issue of this type has the monograms of Aretas (heth) and his son, Phasael, (peh sade).GB110807. Bronze AE 14, Meshorer Nabataean 63A var. (monograms); Barkay CN 117 var. (same); Al-Qatanani 185t9 var. (same); Schmitte-Korte 1990 49 var. (same, VF, attractive dark green patina with reddish earthen highlighting, light scratches, weight 1.898 g, maximum diameter 14.3 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 5 - 4 B.C.; obverse laureate head right; reverse two parallel cornucopias, tops left, tided with ribbon, palm frond on right;
Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D.
Aretas IV was the greatest Nabataean king, ruling S. Palestine, most of Trans-Jordan, N. Arabia, and Damascus. He took the name Philopatris, lover of his people. Aretas married Shuqailat, his second wife, in 16 A.D. Aretas' daughter Phasaelis was married to, and divorced from, Herod Antipas. Herod then married his stepbrother's wife, Herodias. It was opposition to this marriage that led to the beheading of John the Baptist. After he received news of the divorce, Aretas invaded the territory of Herod Antipas and defeated his army. Paul mentions Aretas in connection with his visit to Damascus, when he had to sneak out of the city in a basket lowered from a window in the wall to escape (2 Corinthians 11:32). Al-Khazneh, one of the most elaborate buildings in Petra, is believed to have been his mausoleum.GB110802. Bronze AE 15, Al-Qatanani 156, Barkay CN 187d, Huth 80, Meshorer Nabataean 97, SNG ANS 6 1435, gVF, dark green patina, highlighting buff earthen highlighting, flan adjustment marks, casting sprue remnant, weight 2.182 g, maximum diameter 14.9 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 18 - 19 A.D.; obverse Aretas standing facing, looking left, laureate, wearing military dress, scarf and high boots, spear in right hand, left on pommel of sword in scabbard, palm frond left, Aramaic monogram (H) upper right; reverse Shuqailat standing left, veiled, wearing long chiton, right hand raised, wreath left, Aramaic legend "Shuqa/ila/t" in three lines on right;
Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D.
Aretas IV was the greatest Nabataean king, ruling S. Palestine, most of Trans-Jordan, N. Arabia, and Damascus. He took the name Philopatris, lover of his people. Aretas married Shuqailat, his second wife, in 16 A.D. Aretas' daughter Phasaelis was married to, and divorced from, Herod Antipas. Herod then married his stepbrother's wife, Herodias. It was opposition to this marriage that led to the beheading of John the Baptist. After he received news of the divorce, Aretas invaded the territory of Herod Antipas and defeated his army. Paul mentions Aretas in connection with his visit to Damascus, when he had to sneak out of the city in a basket lowered from a window in the wall to escape (2 Corinthians 11:32). Al-Khazneh, one of the most elaborate buildings in Petra, is believed to have been his mausoleum.GB110810. Bronze AE 17, Al-Qatanani 156t2, Barkay CN 187, Huth 80, Meshorer Nabataean 97, SNG ANS 6 1435, VF, near black patina, obv. a little off center, centers weak, flan adjustment marks, remnants of casting sprues, weight 1.943 g, maximum diameter 16.7 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 18 - 19 A.D.; obverse Aretas standing facing, looking left, laureate, wearing military dress, scarf and high boots, spear in right hand, left on pommel of sword in scabbard, palm frond left, no monogram; reverse Shuqailat standing left, veiled, wearing long chiton, right hand raised, wreath left, Aramaic legend "Shuqa/ila/t" in three lines on right;
Nabataean Kingdom, Rabbel II and Gamilath, c. 80 - 102 A.D.
Rabbel II was the last Nabataean king. A child when he became king, his mother, Shuqailat, ruled in the early years. He was given the title, "He who gives life and salvation to his people," perhaps for subjugating Arab tribes. Upon his death, Trajan annexed the kingdom. On 22 March 106, Nabataea was incorporated into the new province of Arabia Petraea, with Bosra as its capital. The date on this coin is off flan, but it appears to be a die match to a year 22 coin.GS110741. Billon drachm, Barkay CN 234 (same obv. die); Al-Qatanani 241, Meshorer Nabataean 154; cf. BMC Arabia p. 12, 1 & pl. II, 18 (date off flan); SNG ANS 1445 (same), VF, toned, tight flan cutting off most of legends, weight 3.240 g, maximum diameter 14.1 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 91 - 92 A.D.; obverse Nabataean legend: "Rabbel the king, king of the Nabataeans, year 22" (date off flan), laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV with long hair right; reverse Nabataean legend: "Gamilat, his sister, queen of the Nabataeans", veiled bust of Gamilat right;
Anazarbus, Cilicia, 113 - 114 A.D.
The torch is a symbol that can be related to either Artemis or Demeter. Although goddess on the reverse is usually identified in references as Artemis, we believe it is Demeter. In year 132, this type was struck at Anazarbus with larger denominations depicting Trajan on the obverse, some with reverses depicting Trajan's sister Marciana, and others with reverses depicting her daughter, Trajan's niece, Matidia. Circulating alongside the other coins, these coins advertised the importance of Marciana and Matidia to the imperial family and suggested that they, similar to Demeter and her daughter Persephone, were essential to the prosperity of the empire.RP113373. Bronze hemiassarion, Ziegler 100 (Vs1/Rs1); BMC Lycaonia p. 31, 2; SNG Levante 1380; cf. SNG BnF 2026 (year 133); SNG Cop -; SNGvA -, VF, overstruck over a brockage with incuse undertype on obv., weight 4.253 g, maximum diameter 18.1 mm, die axis 0o, Anazarbus (Anavarza, Turkey) mint, 113 - 114 A.D.; obverse KAICAPIA ANAZAP, veiled bust of Persephone right, grain ears and poppy before; reverse veiled bust of Demeter right, wearing polos (resembling a pileus), flaming torch before, ET BΛP (year 132) upward behind;
Korykos, Cilicia, c. 50 B.C. - 50 A.D.
Korykos (Corycus) was the port for Seleucia, an important harbor and commercial town. The Romans defeated the fleet of Antiochus the Great near Korykos, in 191 B.C. In Roman imperial times emperors usually kept a fleet there to watch over the pirates.
Hermes was the messenger of the gods and the god of commerce and thieves. He was the son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. His symbols include the caduceus and winged sandals.RB110022. Bronze AE 25, SNG Levante 803, SNGvA 5681, SNG BnF 1100, BMC Lycaonia -, SNG Cop -, attractive aF, nice green patina, highlighting earthen deposits, scattered light pitting, edge split, weight 8.505 g, maximum diameter 24.8 mm, die axis 225o, Korykos (Kizkalesi, Turkey) mint, c. 50 B.C. - 50 A.D.; obverse head of Aphrodite right, wearing diadem and stephane, KOPY downward on right, aphlaston lower right; reverse Hermes standing half-right, nude except for chlamys fastened around neck and winged sandals, caduceus in right hand, messenger bag (made from an udder) in extended left hand, AYTONO-MOY in two upward lines, starting on the left, the last three letters on the right ;
Attaea, Mysia, Late 2nd Century A.D.
Attaea appears to be known only from its coinage. Its site is uncertain but, based on coin finds, may be Dikeliköy, Turkey.RP111827. Bronze AE 18, SNGvA 7203, SNG BnF 136, von Fritze Mysiens 357, Waddington 5744, RPC IV.2 online -, SNG Cop -, aVF, nice green patina, light corrosion, scratches, earthen deposits, weight 5.102 g, maximum diameter 18.0 mm, die axis 180o, Attaea (Dikeliköy, Turkey?) mint, reign of Marcus Aurelius(?), late 2nd century A.D.; obverse IEPA CVNKΛHTOC, draped bust of the youthful Senate right; reverse ATTAITΩN, youthful male figure (founding hero?) standing right, beardless, with short hair, left foot on cippus, upper body bent forward, arms crossed resting both on left thigh;
Daldis, Lydia, 69 - 79 A.D.
The Zeus who was worshiped at Laodicea was a Hellenized form of the old native god, Mên. Mên had been the king and father of his people. When Greeks settled in the area they continued to worship the god whose power was supreme in the district, but they identified him with their own god Zeus. Thus at Sardis and elsewhere in the region the native god became Zeus Lydios.GB96503. Bronze hemiassarion, GRPC Lydia 4; RPC Online II 1325 (12 spec.); BMC Lydia p. 70, 2; SNG Cop 110, F, green patina, tight flan cutting off much of legends, legends weak, earthen deposits, weight 3.818 g, maximum diameter 16.5 mm, die axis 0o, Daldis (near Narlïkale, Turkey) mint, time of Vespasian, 69 - 79 A.D.; obverse ΘEON CYNKΛHTON, draped bust of the Senate right; reverse EΠI TI ΦΛA YΛA ΦΛA KAICAP ΔAΛΔI (struck under Titus Flavius Hylas [at] Flaviocaesaria Daldis), Zeus Lydios standing left, wearing long chiton and himation, eagle in right hand, scepter in left hand; rare;
Antioch, Seleukis and Pieria, Syria, 128 - 129 A.D.
Michael Molnar, an astronomer, believes this coin depicts Jupiter's occultation of Aries in 6 B.C., the most probable "Star of Bethlehem." We think it is unlikely; nevertheless, the type is very popular and somewhat expensive.GB90244. Bronze trichalkon, RPC Online III 3729, Butcher CRS 266, McAlee 125(d), SNG Hunterian II 2950, F, dark near black patina, highlighting red earthen deposits, weight 5.145 g, maximum diameter 18.8 mm, die axis 0o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, reign of Hadrian, 128 - 129 A.D.; obverse ANTIOXEΩN THC MHTPOΠOΛEWC, veiled and turreted head of Tyche right, weak countermark at chin; reverse ram leaping right, looking back, star within crescent above, ET ZOP (year 177 of the Caesarean Era) below;
Kingdom of Thrace, Rhoemetalces I, c. 11 B.C. - 12 A.D., Augustus Reverse
When the Cotys VII, King of Thrace, died about 48 B.C. Rhoemetalces I became the guardian of his nephew Rhescuporis I, his brother's young son and heir. In 13 B.C., Rhescuporis I was defeated and slain in battle by Vologases, chief of the Thracian Bessi, who was leading a revolt against Rome. As Rhescuporis I had left no heir, Rhoemetalces became king. An ally of Augustus, the Roman Historian Tacitus described Rhoemetalces as attractive and civilized. After his death, Augustus divided his realm, half for his son Cotys VIII and the other half for Rhoemetalces' brother Rhescuporis II. Tacitus states that Cotys received the cultivated parts, most towns and most Greek cities of Thrace, while Rhescuporis received the wild and savage portion with enemies on its frontier.GB110716. Bronze AE 23, Youroukova 204; RPC I 1711; SNG Cop 1188; SNG Tübingen 972; BMC Thrace p. 209, 4; Weber 2743, VF, green patina, porosity, weight 9.792 g, maximum diameter 22.5 mm, die axis 180o, obverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ POIMHTAΛKOY, jugate heads of Rhoemetalces I, diademed, and Queen Pythodoris right; reverse KAIΣAPOΣ ΣEBAΣTOY, bare head of Augustus right;
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