I love Antonine coins. I love provincials. I love coins that depict the iconography of paganism. I had to get this one! It appears to be quite scarce, too. Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. Roman provincial Æ 18.5 mm, 4.59 g, 12 h. Bithynia, Nicaea, AD 138-161. Obv: ΑVΤ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ΑΝΤΩΝ[EΙΝΟϹ?], bare-head, right. Rev: ΝΕΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ, Apis-bull standing, right, head surmounted by solar disk and wearing uraeus crown. Refs: RPC IV.1, 10001 (temporary); Mionnet 5.89,455; RG I(3).413,118(2) pl. LXIX, 19. The authors of RPC, in my opinion, err when they describe the bull on the reverse with "head surmounted by crescent," even on the better preserved variety struck with the same reverse die, RPC IV.1, 5901. It seems clear to me that it's a solar disk and Apis is wearing the uraeus crown, as depicted in numerous ancient works of art. Egyptian bronze figure of an Apis bull, Dynasty XXVI (665-525 BC), probably Memphis. Christie's Auction, 26 October 2004. Life-size basalt statue of the Apis Bull dedicated by Hadrian to Serapis in Alexandria (Egypt), Osiris, Sunken Mysteries of Egypt exhibition, Paris (2015). Photo by Carole Raddato. Bronze figure of Apis, Lower Egypt, Late Period, about 600 BC. British Museum, EA 37448. In contrast, Mionnet (no. 455) got it right, but didn't mention the uraeus crown worn in conjunction with the solar disk. Let's see your bull coins, especially the Apis bull! Or how about any coins with a uraeus?!
Good observation! The fact that the snake is there and with the same shape as in the statues really confirms your conjecture for me. John
A wonderful coin, @Roman Collector, and I'm sure you're right. I don't know that I've ever even seen a Roman Alexandrian coin with an Apis bull. I have no such coins myself, but here's an ancient Egyptian bronze Apis bull, purchased from Hixenbaugh Ancient Art in March 2021.
Wow, @DonnaML, that's really cool! And it features the standard sun-disk-and-uraeus iconography, too! What I think is interesting is that a Roman coin from northern Turkey depicts such Egyptian imagery. Why? And why Nicaea in particular? So many unanswered questions to investigate with this one.
Great question ans a super coin, @Roman Collector . URAEUS(I) Carthage Zeugitania AR ½ Shekel 17mm 3.8g 2nd Punic War 218-202 BCE Sicily mint 216-211 BCE Tanit l Horse r sun as double uraeus SNG COP 359 Seller write-up: Carthage. Circa 201-175 BC. Æ 15 Shekels 45 mm. dia. 7.5 mm. thick. 102.6 g Obv: Wreathed head of Tanit left Rev: Horse standing right; uraeus above. Ref: MAA 104 ; SNG Copenhagen 400. Comment: Original green patina. Note: The largest Carthaginian coin and likely one of the largest coins struck in antiquity. rareorse r sun as double uraeus SNG COP 359
Further to my Series of Great Peoples Vanquished by the Roman Republic BULLS Marsic Confederation AR Denarius Bovianum(?) mint, 89 BCE. 3.93g, 20mm, 3h Obv: Laureate head of Italia left, VITELIA = ITALIA in Oscan script Rev: Soldier standing facing, head right, foot on uncertain object, holding inverted spear and sword, recumbent bull to right facing; retrograde B in exergue. Ref: Campana 122 (same dies); HN Italy 407 Ex: Eucharius Collection. Ex: Roma Auction 11, Lot 607 Carthage 216-215 BCE Sardinia mint AE 3.3g Tanit L - BULL stndg R CNP 377a
APIS RI Julian II CE 360-363 AE1 maiorina Diademed R - SECVRITAS REIPVB 2 stars Apis Bull stg R ANT-Gamma 2 palms ANTIOCH RIC 217 LRBC 2641
Nice example! There's no consensus, though, on whether Julian's bull was intended to be the Apis bull, given the absence of a sun disk and uraeus.
A few more interesting tidbits. There were a lot of coins featuring this reverse type issued in Bithynia (and a few in Lydia) during the Antonine period but which continued into the Severan period (not yet available at RPC online). See this interesting article: David Magie. "Egyptian Deities in Asia Minor in Inscriptions and on Coins." American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul., 1953), pp. 163-187.
A Flavian Apis bull clearly wearing a solar disk. Domitian Æ Diobol, 9.78g Alexandria Mint, 85-86 AD Obv: AYT KAIΣAP ΔOMITIANOΣ ΣEB ΓΕΡM; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: No legend: Apis-bull standing, r.; before altar; date LE above RPC 2511 (10 spec.). Emmett 279.5. Dattari-Savio 576 (this coin). Acquired from Praefectus Coins, April 2020. Ex Dattari Collection. I agree the OP coin depicts a solar disk as well.
Some close-ups of the sun disk and uraeus on my bronze Apis bull: And here's another uraeus, without the sun disk or the bull: Hadrian, AE Nome Obol, Year 11 (136/137 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint (for Arsinoite Nome). Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder, AΥΤ ΚΑΙ - ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹΕΒ / Rev. Head of Egyptian Pharaoh right, no beard [identified with Amenemhat III, under Greco-Roman name of Pramarres], wearing nemes [royal striped headdress] with uraeus [sacred cobra, worn by deities and pharaohs] at forehead; APCI (= Arsi[noites]) to left, date L IA (Year 11) to right. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. III 6296 (2015); RPC III Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/6296 ; Emmett 1211.11 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; BMC 16 Alexandria, Nomes 72-73 at p. 357 [Pool, Reginald Stuart, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 16, Alexandria (London, 1892)]; Sear RCV II 3831 (ill.); Köln 3381/82 [Geissen, A., Katalog alexandrinischer Kaisermünzen, Köln, Band II (Hadrian-Antoninus Pius) (Cologne, 1978, corrected reprint 1987)]; K&G N6.6; Milne 1229 [Milne, J., A Catalogue of the Alexandrian Coins in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford, 1933, reprint with supplement by Colin M. Kraay). 19.4 mm., 5.32 g. (Purchased from Zuzim Inc., Brooklyn, NY Jan 2021; ex. Fontanille Coins, Auction 96, July 2017, Lot 7.) [Footnote omitted.]
My Domitian diobol of Alexandria shows the disk. Your coin has a clear snake which explains why it was cut hollow rather than a disk. I agree that the intent was as you describe.
That is a great coin @Roman Collector and I think you are 100% right about the sun disk and uraeus. As discussed above my “Apis bull” type is disputed. Roman Empire Julian II (AD 360-363) AE1, Antioch mint, struck ca. AD 361-363 Dia.: 28 mm Wt.: 8.7 g Obv.: D N FL CL IVLI-ANVS P F AVG: Diademed, cuirassed bust right. Rev.: SECVRITAS REI PVB; Bull, head facing, standing right. Two starts above Ref.: RIC VIII 216, pg 532 Ex Frank S. Robinson Collection, Purchased from David Micheals (Palladium) in the 1990s, ex FSR Auction 107 lot 389 (Jan. 2019), ex FSR Jan. 2010 sale. I posted a thread about the possible interpretations of this type here. The lack of the sun disk and uraeus, such as shown on RC’s example, is one of the main points against this type showing the Apis.