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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |Roman Provincial| ▸ |Roman Mesopotamia||View Options:  |  |  | 

Roman Provincial Coins of Mesopotamia
Philip I the Arab, February 244 - End of September 249 A.D., Nisibis, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Philip| |I| |the| |Arab,| |February| |244| |-| |End| |of| |September| |249| |A.D.,| |Nisibis,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |25|NEW
Nisibis is the city of Netzivin in the Talmud. The Jews of Nisibis resisted the Roman conqueror, Trajan, to maintain Parthian rule. The city was taken only after a lengthy siege. After the it fell, Nisibis was laid waste and the massacre was so great that the houses, streets, and roads were strewn with corpses.
RP112705. Bronze AE 25, RPC Online VIII U2787; SNG Cop 242; SNG Hunterian 2446; BMC Arabia p. 122, 17; Lindgren-Kovacs 2603; McClean 9557, VF, obv. off center on a very broad flan, toned bare copper, porosity, weight 10.033 g, maximum diameter 25.3 mm, die axis 0o, Nisibis (Nusaybin, Turkey) mint, 247 - 249 A.D.; obverse AYTOK K M IOUΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse IOY CEΠ KOΛΩ NECIBI MHT, tetrastyle temple with twisted columns; within arched central bay: statue of Tyche seated facing, ram (sign of Ares) leaping right with head turned back left above, river-god swimming right below; from the Michael Arslan Collection ; $90.00 SALE PRICE $81.00
 


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; $80.00 SALE PRICE $72.00
 


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; $80.00 SALE PRICE $72.00
 


Tranquillina, Augusta, May 241 - 25 February 244 A.D., Singara, Mesopotamia

|Roman| |Mesopotamia|, |Tranquillina,| |Augusta,| |May| |241| |-| |25| |February| |244| |A.D.,| |Singara,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |26|
In 242 A.D., Gordian III, along with his praetorian prefect and father-in-law Timesitheus, began a campaign against the Sasanian king, Shahpur I. After freeing Syria, a decisive battle secured all of Mesopotamia, including Singara and Nisibis. But after Timesitheus died in 243 the Roman advance stalled and they suffered a major defeat. In February 244, Gordian died and Philip was proclaimed emperor. Philip negotiated a truce in order to return to Rome for his Senate confirmation.
SH11786. Bronze AE 26, RPC Online VII-2 U2106 (20 spec.); SNG Cop 258; SNG Hunterian 2455; BMC Arabia p. 136, 14; Lindgren III 1570a, VF, green patina, scratches, ragged edge, weight 11.651 g, maximum diameter 25.8 mm, die axis 0o, Singara (Sinjar, Iraq) mint, 243 - 244 A.D.; obverse CAB TPANKVΛΛINA CEB, diademed and draped bust right; reverse CVP CEΠ KOΛ CINΓAPA, veiled and turreted bust of Tyche right, centaur Sagittarius above, discharging bow; SOLD


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

|Roman| |Mesopotamia|, |Caracalla,| |28| |January| |198| |-| |8| |April| |217| |A.D.,| |Carrhae,| |Mesopotamia||tetradrachm|
Caracalla was assassinated near Carrhae on 8 April 217, while urinating on a roadside. When his escort gave him privacy to relieve himself, Julius Martialis, an officer of his personal bodyguard, ran forward and killed Caracalla with a single sword stroke. Martialis fled on horseback, but was killed by a bodyguard archer. Herodian says Caracalla had executed Martialis' brother a few days earlier on an unproven charge. Cassius Dio says that Martialis was resentful at not being promoted to the rank of centurion. Macrinus, the Praetorian Guard Prefect, who succeeded him as emperor, may have arranged the assassination.
SH70946. Billon tetradrachm, Prieur 830, Bellinger Syrian 159, SNG Cop -, BMC Arabia -, gVF, nice portrait, good metal, well centered on a crowded flan, weight 13.320 g, maximum diameter 24.6 mm, die axis 0o, Carrhae (Altinbasak, Turkey) mint, Cos. 4, 215 - 217 A.D.; obverse AVT K M ANTΩNEINOC CEB, radiate head right, bare back and shoulder, seen from behind; reverse ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠA TO Δ (holder of Tribunitian power, consul for the 4th time), eagle standing facing, head and tail right, wings open, wreath in beak, star upper left, crescent between legs, two pellets in exergue; ex Ancient Resource (Pasadena, CA); SOLD


Julia Mamaea, Augusta 13 March 222 - February or March 235 A.D., Edessa, Mesopotamia

|Roman| |Mesopotamia|, |Julia| |Mamaea,| |Augusta| |13| |March| |222| |-| |February| |or| |March| |235| |A.D.,| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |24|
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).
RB57028. Bronze AE 24, Babelon 84; BMC Arabia p. 105, 123; cf. Lindgren 2585 (no altar, four stars); SNG Cop -; SNG UK -; SNG Righetti -; SNG Leipzig -, F, weight 8.595 g, maximum diameter 24.0 mm, die axis 180o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, obverse IOVL MAMEA CEBACT, draped bust right, wearing stephane, hair in horizontal ridges, with looped plait at the back of neck; reverse MHT KOΛ ΕΔΕCCHNΩN, Tyche seated left on rock, wearing turreted crown, river-god swimming at her feet, altar before her, two stars flanking in field; rare; SOLD


Marcus Aurelius, 7 March 161 - 17 March 180 A.D., Carrhae, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Marcus| |Aurelius,| |7| |March| |161| |-| |17| |March| |180| |A.D.,| |Carrhae,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |20|
This coin may refer to an eclipse at Carrhae on 4 September 164. Carrhae is the Haran of the Bible. Crassus was defeated and killed by the Parthians near Carrhae in 53 B.C. Emperor Galerius was defeated on the same site in 296 A.D.
RP92089. Bronze AE 20, RIC IV-3 Online T8037 (2 spec.), BMC Arabia -, SNG Cop -, SNGvA -, aF, earthen encrustations, scratches, weight 6.171 g, maximum diameter 21.9 mm, die axis 0o, Carrhae (Altinbasak, Turkey) mint, 164 - 169 A.D.; obverse AYT KAI[...], laureate head left; reverse KARHNWN ΦIΛOPWMEW, crescent horns upward, resting on a globe with fillets hanging from each side, star with six points above between the horns; ex Gerhard Rohde (9 Feb 2010); extremely rare; SOLD


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|
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
RP111727. Bronze AE 18, apparently unpublished; cf. BMC Arabia p. 102, 76 var. (laur. & dr. bust, Tyche r.); RPC -; SNG -; Lindgren -; Weber -; McClean -; et al. -, VF, green patina, earthen deposits, tight flan, edge crack, high points flatly struck, parts of legends weak/off flan, weight 3.180 g, maximum diameter 18.2 mm, die axis 0o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, obverse M AYR ANTWNEINOC (or similar), radiate head right; reverse ETYXH EΔEC KOΛ, turreted and veiled bust of Tyche left; no other specimens known to FORVM; extremely rare, unique?; SOLD


Severus Alexander, 13 March 222 - March 235 A.D., Edessa, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Severus| |Alexander,| |13| |March| |222| |-| |March| |235| |A.D.,| |Edessa,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |25|
In 230, the Persian King Ardashir I invaded Mesopotamia. Ancient historians disagree about the success or failure of Alexander's counterattack against Persia in 232, but there is no doubt that Alexander had enough success to recover Edessa and make the town the "Metropolis Colony of the Edessans." No documents mention this event but it is clearly attested on the coins, including this one. Both sides suffered heavy losses and agreed to a truce. In 233, Severus Alexander celebrated a triumph in Rome to observe his "victory."
RY92578. Bronze AE 25, SNG Cop 215; SNG Hunterian II 2548; BMC Arabia p. 104, 82; Lindgren I 2578 var. (head bare, etc.), VF, black patina with light earthen highlights, weight 9.755 g, maximum diameter 24.8 mm, die axis 150o, Mesopotamia, Edessa (Urfa, Sanliurfa, Turkey) mint, as caesar, 221 - 222 A.D.; obverse M A AΛEΞNΔEPOC KA, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse M A K AVP EΔΕCC, Tyche seated left on rocks, wearing turreted crown, veil, and mantle, sacrificing at flaming altar before her, river-god swimming at her feet; from the Errett Bishop Collection; scarce; SOLD


Marcus Aurelius, 7 March 161 - 17 March 180 A.D., Carrhae, Mesopotamia

|Mesopotamia| |&| |Babylonia|, |Marcus| |Aurelius,| |7| |March| |161| |-| |17| |March| |180| |A.D.,| |Carrhae,| |Mesopotamia||AE| |21|
Carrhae is the Haran of the Bible. Crassus was defeated and killed by the Parthians near Carrhae in 53 B.C. Emperor Galerius was defeated on the same site in 296 A.D.
RP89001. Bronze AE 21, SNG Righetti 2556 (same dies); RPC Online IV 6482 (5 specimens); BMC Arabia p. 82, 1 & pl. XII, 3; SNG Cop -, F, thick tight flan, porous, light corrosion, small edge crack, weight 10.965 g, maximum diameter 21.4 mm, die axis 0o, Carrhae (Altinbasak, Turkey) mint, 7 Mar 161 - 17 Mar 180 A.D.; obverse AYTOKP KAIC MAP AYPHΛI OYHROC, laureate head right; reverse KARHNWN ΦIΛOPWME, crescent horns upward, resting on a globe, fillets hanging from each side, star with six horns between the horns; ex Ancient Numismatic Enterprise; rare; SOLD







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REFERENCES

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