Hey guys, I am unable to figure this one out. It has a huge relief on both sides and looks great in hand. Any help would be appreciated, thanks. It's 22mm
Looks like Marcus Aurelius to me. Marcus Aurelius AE23 of Syria, Cyrrhestica, Cyrrhus. AVTO K M AVΡH ANTΩNINOC CEB, laureate bust right / ΔIOC KATEBATOV KVΡΡHCTΩN, Zeus Kataibates, in himation, seated left on rocks, resting arm on knee, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, eagle at foot left. http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/marcus_aurelius/t.html
Don't be too upset on this one. There are coins of Aurelius that use OVHPOC. I tend to think of them being earlier in the reign just after his adoption by Pius. Compare to this one. ΑΥΤ Κ Λ ΑΥΡΗΛ ΟΥΗΡΟΣ ΣΕΒ https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2148184 Since the coin in question is clear at the right and missing legend at the left you might have seen OVHPOC but the lambda at the left is missing. I find it interesting that the missing left legend also included ΑΥΡΗΛ, its presence could have been even more confusing. The two adoptees, Marcus and Lucius, shared a lot of names on various Provincials.
Thanks @dougsmit. Provincials are not really in my wheelhouse as of yet. I've only had exposure to a few of them. I have less than 5 in our collection. I like them but that Greek is daunting!
Oh that's a thunderbolt. I thought it was a shake-weight. Thank you all so very much for your help. @furryfrog02 @ancientone @dougsmit
Noodling around with some low grade stuff tonight, and so reviving this thread because, well, I'd never heard of Cyrrhestica until yesterday. That's when I got this in the mail from an undescribed eBay lot (of 2) - had to do some digging to figure it out. Antoninus Pius Æ 21 (c. 138-161 A.D.) Cyrrhestica, Hieropolis, Syria [ΑΥΤο ΚΑΙ ΤΙ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡΙ ΑΝΤWΝƐΙΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ ƐΥϹƐΒ] laureate bust wearing cuirass and paludamentum right / ΘƐΑϹ ϹΥΡΙΑϹ ΙƐΡΟΠΟ, Ɛ below, within laurel wreath. RPC 6977; cf. Butcher 15. (10.05 grams / 21 x 18 mm) Kind of interesting, these Provincials, to a newbie like me. Although Cyrrhestica sounds exotic and obscure (at least it did to me), the coinage seems to be fairly abundant. As for this Antoninus Pius wreath/legend reverse type, there are several types with different letters below - almost like Officiana marks. Many of them seem to be missing the obverse legend as well - hard wear, but also from smallish flans, it seems. Although a bit crude, the portrait is recognizably Antoninus Pius - just as the OP is a recognizable Lucius Verus. My enthusiasm for Provincials continues to grow.
