Fine Coins Showcase
Antiquities Showcase
New & Reduced
Apr 23, 2024
Apr 22, 2024
Apr 21, 2024
Apr 20, 2024
Greek Coins
Apr 19, 2024
Roman Coins
Judean & Biblical Coins
Medieval & Modern Coins
Apr 18, 2024
Apr 17, 2024
Apr 16, 2024
Greek Coins
Roman Coins
Byzantine Coins
Medieval & Modern Coins
Apr 15, 2024
Greek Coins
Roman Coins
Apr 14, 2024
Byzantine Coins
Apr 09, 2024
Greek Coins
Apr 08, 2024
Greek Coins
Apr 07, 2024
Greek Coins
Byzantine Coins
Apr 06, 2024
Apr 05, 2024
Greek Coins
Apr 04, 2024
Apr 03, 2024
Mar 05, 2024
Medieval & Modern Coins
Feb 24, 2024
Judean & Biblical Coins
Feb 23, 2024
Greek Coins
Feb 18, 2024
Roman Coins
Feb 12, 2024
Medieval & Modern Coins
Feb 11, 2024
Medieval & Modern Coins
Feb 09, 2024
Medieval & Modern Coins
Feb 01, 2024
Medieval & Modern Coins
Nov 19, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins
Oct 23, 2023
Greek Coins
Oct 22, 2023
Greek Coins
Oct 18, 2023
Greek Coins
Oct 14, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins
Oct 07, 2023
Roman Coins
Oct 05, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins
Oct 03, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins
Sep 28, 2023
Byzantine Coins
Sep 26, 2023
Roman Coins
Sep 22, 2023
Sep 21, 2023
Roman Coins
Sep 19, 2023
Roman Coins
Sep 18, 2023
Roman Coins
Sep 13, 2023
Roman Coins
Sep 11, 2023
Greek Coins
Aug 01, 2023
Greek Coins
Jul 28, 2023
Greek Coins
Jul 17, 2023
Jul 16, 2023
Greek Coins
Jul 09, 2023
Roman Coins
Jun 26, 2023
Roman Coins
Jun 11, 2023
Roman Coins
May 04, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins
May 03, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins
Apr 06, 2023
Greek Coins
Roman Coins
Mar 30, 2023
Roman Coins
Mar 29, 2023
Roman Coins
Mar 28, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins
Medieval & Modern Coins
Mar 26, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins
Mar 25, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins
Mar 17, 2023
Greek Coins
Mar 16, 2023
Mar 15, 2023
Greek Coins
Feb 27, 2023
Medieval & Modern Coins
Feb 05, 2023
Judean & Biblical Coins
Jan 18, 2023
Roman Coins
Dec 31, 2022
Roman Coins
Dec 15, 2022
Antiquities
Oct 09, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins
Medieval & Modern Coins
Sep 27, 2022
Greek Coins
Sep 24, 2022
Greek Coins
Aug 29, 2022
Judean & Biblical Coins
Jul 11, 2022
Greek Coins
Judean & Biblical Coins
Jun 17, 2022
Greek Coins
Jun 14, 2022
Greek Coins
May 30, 2022
Greek Coins
Apr 11, 2022
Greek Coins
Apr 09, 2022
Medieval & Modern Coins
Apr 02, 2022
Themes & Provenance
Feb 04, 2022
Medieval & Modern Coins
Feb 02, 2022
Medieval & Modern Coins
Oct 05, 2021
Judean & Biblical Coins
Jun 23, 2021
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |The Severan Period| ▸ |Elagabalus||View Options:   | | | Elagabalus came to power through the scheming of his grandmother Julia Maesa. Elagabalus repeatedly shocked the population with increasingly bizarre behavior including cross-dressing and marrying a vestal virgin. Eventually, his grandmother replaced him on the throne with Severus Alexander, and Elagabalus and his mother were murdered, dragged through the streets of Rome, and dumped into the Tiber. |
McAlee notes that ΔE probably abbreviates Δ EΠAPCEIΩN, meaning "of the four eparchies.RY114963. Bronze as, BMC Galatia p. 203, 440; McAlee group 1, 777(c); Lindgren I 2004; SNG Righetti 2001; Waage 583; RPC Online VI T8037, Choice VF, near centered, nice portrait, dark patina, attractive contrasting earthen deposits (Syrian patina), weight 4.411 g, maximum diameter 18.9 mm, die axis 135o, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse AVT K M AVP ANTΩNINOC C, laureate head right; reverse S C, Δ above, E (lunate) below, all within laurel wreath, fastened at the top with a star; $110.00 (€103.40)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Laodikea ad Mare, Seleucis and Pieria, Syria
Laodicea ad Mare prospered thanks to the excellent wine produced in the nearby hills and was also famous for its textiles, both of which were exported to all the empire. A sizable Jewish population lived in Laodicea during the first century. Under Septimius Severus the city was fortified and was made for a few years the capital of Roman Syria: in this period Laodicea grew to be a city of nearly 40,000 inhabitants and even had a hippodrome. Christianity was the main religion in the city after Constantine I and many bishops of Laodicea participated in ecumenical councils, mainly during Byzantine times. The heretic Apollinarius was bishop of Laodicea in the 4th century, when the city was fully Christian but with a few remaining Jews. An earthquake damaged the city in 494 A.D. Justinian I made Laodicea the capital of the Byzantine province of "Theodorias" in the early sixth century. Laodicea remained its capital for more than a century until the Arab conquest.RY114965. Bronze AE 17, RPC Online VI T8152 (6 spec.); BMC Galatia p. 261; 101; SNG Cop 374, F, dark patina, earthen deposits, tight flan, weight 3.518 g, maximum diameter 16.6 mm, die axis 0o, Laodicea ad Mare (Latakia, Syria) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse IMP C M AVR ANTONINVS, laureate head right; reverse LAΔICEON, turreted and draped bust of Tyche under arched lintel of shrine with two columns (distyle), Δ E in exergue; first specimen of this type handled by FORVM; $65.00 (€61.10)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Caesarea, Cappadocia
Kayseri, originally called Mazaka or Mazaca, is in central Turkey on a low spur on the north side of Mount Erciyes (Mount Argaeus in ancient times). During Achaemenid Persian rule, it was the capital of a Satrapy on the crossroads of the Royal Road from Sardis to Susa and the trade route from Sinope to the Euphrates. It was conquered by Alexander's general Perdikkas, was ruled by Eumenes of Cardia, then passed to the Seleucid empire after the battle of Ipsus. It became the capital of the independent Cappadocian Kingdom under Ariarathes III, around 250 B.C. During Strabo's time it was also known as Eusebia, after the Cappadocian King Ariarathes V Eusebes, 163 – 130 B.C. The name was changed again to "Caesarea in Cappadocia" in honor of Caesar Augustus, upon his death in 14 A.D. The city passed under formal Roman rule in 17 A.D. In Roman times, it prospered on the route from Ephesus to the East. Caesarea was destroyed by the Sassanid King Shapur I after his victory over the Emperor Valerian I in 260 A.D. At the time it was recorded to have around 400,000 inhabitants. Arabic influence changed Caesarea to the modern name Kayseri. The city gradually recovered and has a population of around 1 million people today. Few traces of the ancient city survive.RP113940. Bronze AE 25, cf. RPC Online VI T6714.1 (same dies); Henseler 1080, F, nice green patina, legends weak/off flan, weight 11.583 g, maximum diameter 25.4 mm, die axis 315o, Cappadocia, Caesarea (Kayseri, Turkey) mint, 220 - 221 A.D.; obverse AY K M AYPHΛIOC - ANTWNEIN, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse MHTPOΠ - KAICAPI, agalma of Mount Argaeus placed on altar, surmounted by star, ET (year) on altar, Δ (4) in exergue; $80.00 (€75.20)
Hierapolis, Phrygia, c. 218 - 222 A.D.
Struck during the reign of Elagabalus. The AKTIA festival and games at Hierapolis were founded in honor of Augustus' victory at Actium. RP114892. Bronze AE 26, RPC Online VI T5485; Johnston Hierapolis 74; BMC Phrygia p. 242, 89; SNG Cop 444; Waddington 6128; SNGvA -; SNG Tüb -; SNG Hunt -; Weber -; McClean -, aF, uneven strike, flan crack, part of rev. flattened by countermarking, weight 5.609 g, maximum diameter 24.30 mm, die axis 180o, Phrygia, Hierapolis (near Pamukkale, Turkey) mint, pseudo-autonomous, c. 218 - 222 A.D.; obverse IEPA CY-NKΛHTO-C, draped bust of the senate right; countermark: Nike(?); reverse IEPAΠOΛEITΩN NEΩKOPΩN, A/KTI/A in three lines within a demos crown (laurel wreath); very rare; $70.00 (€65.80)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Edessa, Mesopotamia
| 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. |  |
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Caesarea, Cappadocia
Kayseri, originally called Mazaka or Mazaca, is in central Turkey on a low spur on the north side of Mount Erciyes (Mount Argaeus in ancient times). During Achaemenid Persian rule, it was the capital of a Satrapy on the crossroads of the Royal Road from Sardis to Susa and the trade route from Sinope to the Euphrates. It was conquered by Alexander's general Perdikkas, was ruled by Eumenes of Cardia, then passed to the Seleucid empire after the battle of Ipsus. It became the capital of the independent Cappadocian Kingdom under Ariarathes III, around 250 B.C. During Strabo's time it was also known as Eusebia, after the Cappadocian King Ariarathes V Eusebes, 163 – 130 B.C. The name was changed again to "Caesarea in Cappadocia" in honor of Caesar Augustus, upon his death in 14 A.D. The city passed under formal Roman rule in 17 A.D. In Roman times, it prospered on the route from Ephesus to the East. Caesarea was destroyed by the Sassanid King Shapur I after his victory over the Emperor Valerian I in 260 A.D. At the time it was recorded to have around 400,000 inhabitants. Arabic influence changed Caesarea to the modern name Kayseri. The city gradually recovered and has a population of around 1 million people today. Few traces of the ancient city survive.MA113941. Bronze AE 29, cf. RPC Online VI T6661, Henseler 1038, Ganschow -, aF, weight 8.850 g, maximum diameter 29.0 mm, die axis 0o, Cappadocia, Caesarea (Kayseri, Turkey) mint, 218 - 219 A.D.; obverse AY K M AYPHΛIOC - ANTWNEINOC CEB, laureate and draped bust right, seen from slightly behind right shoulder; reverse MHTPO-Π - K-AICAPI, agalma of Mount Argaeus on altar, three figures standing on peak, altar inscribed ET B (year 2) on altar, NEΩKO (neokoros) in exergue; ex Leu Numismatik web auction 24 (06 Dec 22), lot 4995 (part of); ex European collection formed before 2005; $8.50 (€7.99)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Marcianopolis, Moesia Inferior
Renamed by Trajan after his sister, Ulpia Marciana, Marcianopolis was an important strategic center, part of Roman Thrace until c. 190, and then belonged to Moesia inferior. Marcianopolis' prosperity was ended by Gothic raids in 248 and 249, another in 267 or 268, and other barbarian invasions from the north. The city recovered and under Diocletian Marcianopolis became the center of the province Moesia Secunda of the Diocese of Thrace, and was thoroughly rebuilt in the late 3rd and early 4th century. During Valens' conflict with the Goths (366 - 369), Marcianopolis was a temporary capital of the empire and the largest city of Thrace. In 447, it was destroyed by the Huns under Attila, immediately after the bloody Battle of the Utus River. Justinian I restored and fortified it, but it was subject to regular barbarian attacks. An Avar raid finally destroyed it in 614 or 615.RP113325. Bronze tetrassarion, RPC Online VI T1391 (10 spec.); H-J Marcianopolis 6.26.32.3; Varbanov I 1590; AMNG 835, aVF, broad flan, rough, scratches, central mint dimples; struck under legatus Augusti pro praetore Iulius Antonius Seleukos, weight 10.055 g, maximum diameter 26.6 mm, die axis 0o, Markianopolis (Devnya, Bulgaria) mint, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse AVT K M AVPHΛIOC ANTΩNEINOC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; reverse VΠ IOVΛ ANT CEΛEVKOV MAPK,IANOΠO/ΛITΩN (ending in two lines in exergue), River-god Istrus reclining right, reed upright in right hand, inverted vase behind from which water flows, left hand resting on galley on far side; ex CNG e-sale 537 (26 Apr 2023), lot 274; ex Dr. Michael Slavin Collection; $70.00 (€65.80)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Laodicea ad Mare(?), Seleukis and Pieria, Syria
This type is traditionally assigned to Antioch but McAlee identifies Laodicea as the most likely mint. McAlee notes, "After Septimius stripped Antioch of its privileges and conferred them on Laodicea-ad-Mare, some coins of Laodicea bear the legend 'Metropolis of the Four Provinces,' and others have a representation of four Tyches. The letters Δ - E also regularly appear on the coins of Laodicea from the time of Elagabalus to that of Trebonianus Gallus."RP114572. Billon tetradrachm, McAlee 758, SNG Cop 237, Prieur 249, Bellinger Syria 42, Dura Coins -, F, toned, off center, weight 12.559 g, maximum diameter 25.7 mm, die axis 180o, Laodicea ad Mare (Latakia, Syria) mint, 219 A.D.; obverse AVT K M A ANTWNEINOC CEB, laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder, both wreath ties behind neck; reverse ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC YΠ B (holder of Tribunitian power, consul for the second time), eagle standing facing, wings spread, head left, wreath in beak, Δ - E (Δ EΠAPCEIΩN - of the four eparchies) flanking eagle's head, star between legs; $110.00 (€103.40)
Elagabalus, 16 May 218 - 11 March 222 A.D., Gerasa, Arabia Petraea
Jerash, Jordan is north of the national capital Amman. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, it's known for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman city Gerasa just outside the modern city. Josephus mentions the city as being principally inhabited by Syrians, but also having a small Jewish community. In 106, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included Philadelphia (modern day Amman). Jerash is considered one of the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture outside of Italy. It is sometimes referred to as the "Pompeii of the Middle East" due to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation.RP57203. Bronze AE 20, RPC Online VI T9306.4 (same c/m, 7 spec.); Spijkerman 34a.3 (same coin); Rosenberger 41 (same c/m); Sofaer 32; c/m: Howgego 376 (9 spec.), Choice F, well centered, nice sea-green patina, rare fully legible rev. legend; c/m: F, weight 7.065 g, maximum diameter 19.7 mm, die axis 180o, Gerasa (Jerash, Jordon) mint, c. 218 - 222 A.D.; obverse AVT KAICAP ANTWNINOC, laureate and draped bust right, seen from behind; reverse AΛEΞANΔPOC MAKEΔWN, diademed head of Alexander the Great right, countermark: strung bow; very nice for the type!; very rare; $500.00 (€470.00)
Thyateira, Lydia, c. 218 - 235 A.D.
Thyateira (also Thyatira) is the ancient name of the modern Turkish city of Akhisar ("white castle"). In Revelation, Thyatira is the church that had a false prophetess (Revelation 2:20).
It is uncertain if Athena is holding a spear over her left shoulder on the obverse of our coin. That such a spear-less variety exists is suggested by both BMC Lydia 32 and 31 (whose reverse depicts Athena holding a patera in place of Nike), although neither coin has been seen by this cataloger. Also, contrary to the claim of RPC Online VI (as of 1 Feb. 2024), Dane Kurth did indeed record our type (assuming it has an obverse spear) under GRPC Lydia 82. Spear or no spear, hopefully the reader has understood the point of this commentary.GB113946. Bronze AE 19, cf. RPC Online VI T30620 (obv. spear); GRPC Lydia 82 (same); SNG Hunt 1362-1363 (same; leg. arr.); BMC Lydia p. 297, 32 (no obv. spear?; leg. arr.), F, slightly rough, bare metal surfaces, weight 3.557 g, maximum diameter 19.3 mm, die axis 180o, Thyatira (Akhisar, Turkey) mint, time of Elagablus-Sev. Alexander, 218 - 235 A.D.; obverse draped bust of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet and aegis partially fringed with snakes, spear(?) over left shoulder; reverse ΘYAT-E-IPHNΩN, Athena standing facing, helmeted head left, Nike in right hand, grounded shield and upright spear supported with her left hand; $70.00 (€65.80)
OBVERSE| LEGENDS|
REFERENCES|
Page created in 2.157 seconds.
