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Coin Type: Bronze AE23 of Antoninus Pius, Caesar 138 CE, Augustus 138-161 CE Mint and Date: Emesa in Seleucis and Pieria, Syria, 139-140 CE. Size and Weight: 20mm x 23mm, 9.42g Obverse: (AVT KAI TI AIΛ ANTONЄINOC CЄB ЄV) Laureate head right. Reverse: (ЄMIC)-HNwN Eagle with closed wings standing right on the conical baetyl (holy stone) of Emesa, head left, holding wreath in beak; (stone decorated with crescent and two stars below.) Field Marks: B in right field (year 2). Provenance: The Time Machine Co (Vcoins), August 2009 Ref: SNG Copenhagen 309 var (Γ in reverse field). BW Ref: 027 053 143 |
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Note: This is the stone which was brought to Rome by Elagabalus as part of his bid to make the Emesan sun god Elah-Gabal the chief deity of Rome. After his death it was was returned to Emesa by his successor Severus Alexander. There is a rumour that this is the same stone which is now in the Ka'aba of Mecca. Note 2: There is a better specimen also in this index here: Antoninus Pius Emesa Stone. |
The content of this page was last updated on 6 November 2009 |