Caracalla and Julia Domna Serapis in Temple Marcianopolis

At the outset of his reign, Caracalla declared divine support for the Egyptian deity Serapis, a god of healing. The temple of Isis and Serapis in Alexandria was apparently renovated during Caracalla's co-rule with his father Septimius Severus. Upon Caracalla's ascension to sole ruler in 212, the imperial mint began striking coins bearing Serapis' image. This was a reflection of the god's central role during Caracalla's reign.

This provincial issue therefore comes as no surprise. We know this coin was issued between 212 and 217 because it bears the name of Quintilanus, known only from coins of Caracalla and Domna during his sole reign. The coin depicts a tetrastyle temple containing a cult statue of Serapis within.


Caracalla with Julia Domna, AD 198-217
Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 25.5 mm, 12.01 g, 7 h
Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Quintilianus, legatus consularis, AD 212-217
Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓVCΤΟC ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right vis-à-vis draped bust of Julia Domna left
Rev: VΠ ΚVΝΤΙΛ-ΙΑΝ ΜΑΡΚΙΑ-NΟΠΟΛΙΤΩ-Ν, Tetrastyle temple with peaked roof and clipeus in pediment, statue of Serapis within, standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; Є (mark of value) to left of Serapis
Refs: AMNG 689 var.; H&J Marcianopolis, 6.19.46.7 (same dies); Varbanov 1049; Moushmov 508; SNG Evelpides 812 var.; Lindgren II 713 var.; BMC 3. 30, 19 var.; SNRIS Marcianopolis 09

The pose adopted by the figure of Serapis within the temple is stylized: standing left, raising his right hand, and holding a scepter. This coin produced for the nearby town of Odessos depicts Serapis in the same pose:


Gordian III with Tranquillina, AD 238-244
Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion; 26.1 mm, 13.33 g, 6 h
Moesia Inferior, Odessos
Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ CЄ - ΤΡΑΝΚVΛ-ΛЄΙΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian III right, vis-à-vis diademed and draped bust of Tranquillina left
Rev: ΟΔΗΞ - CЄΙΤΩΝ, Sarapis standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; E (mark of value) in left field
Refs: AMNG I 1696; Moushmov 1696; Varbanov 4599; SNRIS Odessus 15 (a9).

This suggests to me that there may have been a Serapeum in Moesia Inferior, well-known to the inhabitants of the province, with a cult statue of Serapis posed in this manner. If so, online search engines reveal no mention of archaeological remains of such a structure.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about a possible Serapeum in Moesia or Thrace, about whether or not this depicts a known statue of Serapis somewhere, and to see your Serapis coins!

 

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I will clap first, great Serapis temple and write up. I have a Serapis in a temple Elagabalus Moesia Nicopolis, cult statue within temple, shield in pediment. And the temple ruins today.

 

Wow!! Is that temple in Nikopolis? You can see the clipeus in the pediment and everything!

 

Yes according to Ivan Varbanov, when I posted the coin in another forum he commented and supplied the pic.

 

I have this other coin of Marcianopolis with Caracalla and Julia Domna and reverse with the whole family standing on either the city gate or triumphal arch.

 

My Quintilianus is distinguished by a clear name reverse left and the reversal of the E denomination. Compared to others I have seen that face right, this reversed the bust of Serapis also.
https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=80157

I find interest that the obverse of these coins spells out Augoustoc in Greek letters rather than using the Greek word Sebastos one might expect.

 

Nice

 

I only have a single coin from Markianopolis:


RI Didumenian and Macrinus 217-218 CE AE28 Markianopolis mint Serapis

 

That's a lovely depiction of Serapis, and notable for its identical pose to the cult statue in the temple on my coin.