Got it also from the April coin show at Schaumburg: This drachm commemorates Hadrian’s arrival in Egypt in the year 130-131 AD. It shows the Emperor being greeted by the city goddess Alexandria wearing an elephant-skin headdress, which can also be found on coins of Ptolemy I centuries before. Arriving in August of 130 AD, Hadrian enjoyed the sights and rites of Egypt and the imperial entourage sailed on the Nile, which ended in tragedy when his companion, the Bithynian Antinous, drowned in the Nile. According to Historia Augusta, Hadrian “wept like a woman”. The shipment of grain was quite risky during the winter months, as it was exposed to storms and tempests. Under Hadrian’s reign transport became more lucrative for ship owners, as they were not only exempt from levies, but also were awarded generous privileges, and even were compensated with the full value of ship and cargo when loss happened. The arrival of Hadrian in Alexandria happened before August 28, 130 AD, but not long before, because these drachms of year 15 show details about Hadrian's arrival: receiving grain-ears from Alexandria in a ceremonial greeting (he is wearing a toga) extending his hand for a kiss. The kiss of Alexandria on the emperor's extended hand could represent the gratefulness of the Alexandrian shipowners for these privileges. However, it could also just be Alexandria’s salutation at the arrival of the emperor. Æ Drachm Alexandria, Royal year L – IE (15) = 130/131 AD 22.56 g RPC III 5777; Emmett 964.15; Köln 1034; Dattari (Savio) pl. 75, 1610 & 7544-5; Milne 1315; Kampmann-Ganschow 32.509; Geißen 1034; BMC Alexandria p. 101, 869 Obv.: AVT KAI - TPAI AΔPIA CEB; laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Hadrian to r. wearing aegis. Rev.: Hadrian standing facing, laureate head to l., wearing toga, holding scepter, greeted by Alexandria, head bowed, clad in elephant skin headdress, chiton, and peplos, holding two grain-ears downward with l. hand and holding he emperor's extended hand with her r. hand in a gesture of kiss on the hand; L–IE (date) across field. The first Roman emperor to portray Alexandria on his coinage was Nero. He struck so many coins in Alexandria that the output of the mint is roughly half of the known examples of Billon Tetradrachms. Vespasian continued the trend. Please share your Alexandria Drachms or anything you think is relevant
I like these big, chunky bronzes but they are usually in low grade. Their chamfered flans encouraged wear and they circulated heavily. Yours is exceptionally well-preserved. I have only one drachm from Alexandria and it's not exactly FDC. Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman provincial Æ drachm, 24.36 g, 35.4 mm, 12 h. Egypt, Alexandria, AD 151/52 (year 15). Obv: ΦΑVCΤΙΝ CЄΒ CЄΒ ЄVCЄΒ ΘVΓ, draped bust, right, wearing circlet of pearls around head. Rev: Monumental altar or flat-roofed temple with four (garlanded) columns enclosing female figure dropping incense on altar; above, pyre; acroteria in form of aphlasta; L – IЄ (year 15) to either side. Refs: RPC IV.4 14749 (temp); Köln 1961; Dattari 3305-06; K&G 38.69; Emmett 1971.15; Sear –. Note: Some authors identify the altar on the reverse as the altar of Agathodaimon.
Thank you @Roman Collector, in hand it is much nicer, it's my pictures that I never get right Your Drachm is very nice, big and heavy. The decorations above "pyre; acroteria in form of aphlasta;" are fascinating.
A very nice example of the type, @cmezner. Congratulations! The tetradrachm version is one of the many Alexandrian coins on my want list. I have four Roman Alexandrian drachms: But only two were issued by Hadrian: one showing Isis Pharia with the Pharos (Year 17), and one showing a Sphinx (Year 18): This is the dealer's photo; the color of the actual coin is more of a chocolate brown, like the photo of it in the tray:
That's a very nice Drachm! Don't worry, I have similar problems with coin photography. 81637. Bronze drachm, Dattari 1632, Geissen 1009, Choice VF, Alexandria mint, 26.146g, 35.2mm, 0o, 129 - 130 A.D.; obverse AVT KAI TPAINOC A∆PI[...], laureate and draped bust right; reverse Athena standing left, Nike in extended right, resting left on shield, date LI∆ across field; ex Forum. Attribution: Milne 551 Date: Dated Year 2 - AD 98/9 Obverse: AVT KAIC NEP CEB ΓEPM, laureate head right Reverse: Nilus reclining left on back of crocodile, holding cornucopia and reed, LB (date) in exergue Size: 37.44mm Weight: 27.69 grams Description: near VF. Huge Medallic flan. The final picture will have to do until I get better at photography.
You have a very interesting set of Alexandrian Drachms and you present them vey nice. I have one Isis Pharia but from Antoninus Pius, RY 10 and with no pharos. Haven't researched it nor taken pictures yet - which always takes a long time ...
@nerosmyfavorite68 the Hadrian with Tyche reclining is lovely. Haven't seen one of this type before. Usually it is Nilus the one who is reclining. The Trajan with Nilus reverse is very nice too and of course also the Hadrian with the Athena reverse. Thank you so much for sharing
Roman Egypt, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (32mm, 22.07g, 12h). Dated RY 10 (AD 146/147). Obv: ΑVT K T AIΛ AΔP ANTωNЄINOC CЄB ЄVCB; Laureate bust right. Rev: Isis Pharia sailing right, holding a sistrum and billowing sail; L ΔЄK-ATOV (date) around. Ref: Köln 1550; Dattari (Savio) 2668; K&G 35.359; Emmett 1590.10. Fine, nice surfaces and good eye appeal.
Great addition @cmezner and some really great drachms from all above. These have some really interesting reverses. Here is my example from A-Pi’s reign. Egypt, Alexandria Antoninus Pius AE Drachm, Alexandria mint, struck RY 13 (AD 149/50) Dia.: 34.2 mm Wt.: 23.9 g Obv.: ΑVΤΚΤΑΙΛΑΔΡΑΝΤωΝΙΝΟCEBEVC; Laureate head right Rev.: TPIKA (date) IϚ (16); Nilus reclining left holding reed and cornucopia from which emerges a pekheis; crocodile below; L in left field Ref.: Emmett 1621.13 Ex Theodosius Collection
@Edessa, you definitely are someone after my own heart I also bought an Antoninus Pius Drachm at the show. It was attributed as RY 10 Köln 1550, Milne 1921 so it should have the legend L ΔЄK-ATOV, but the legend is L TPI TOY, which I couldn't find for RY 10. Have been spending days and a huge amount of hours trying to find the reverse legend; even started to think that maybe it was not a real one, when I had the idea of trying to find out what it meant. Thanks to the forum ancient coins I found out yesterday night that L TPI TOY means "of the year 3" - but the story didn't end here, because I wanted to know the correct attribution and it is definitely not Köln 1550, Milne 1921. Couldn't find a single one in the data base of muenzen.uni-koeln.de nor in acsearch, so I searched in RPC and there it was: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/114760 now i can rest assured I only have the picture of the reverse, with all this hassle of searching I hadn't had the peace of mind to take new pictures, I just have this one from the show. Æ Drachm, Alexandria RY 3 = 139/140 22.26 g Obv: ΑΥΤ(ΟΚΡΑΤΩΡ) Κ(ΑΙΣΑΡ) Τ(ΙΤΟΣ) ΑΙΛ(ΙΟΣ) ΑΔΡ(ΙΑΝΟΣ) ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟΣ ΣΕΒ(ΑΣΤΟΣ) ΕΥΣ(ΕΒΗΣ) Antoninus Pius bare-headed bust to r. wearing cuirass and paludamentum, legend almost completely worn except for ΑΔΡ Rev.: L TPI / TOY Isis Pharia in chiton and blowing peplos, ornamented head, advancing r. left foot in front of her, holding billowing sail and sistrum. Today, the sistrum is still present as a fundamental part of worship and religion in several regions of Africa. It remains a powerful symbol in Coptic and Ethiopian churches as well. (quoted from wikipedia) On his first entry to the city, Augustus (of course I have to mention Augustus ) declared a general amnesty for all Alexandrians and Egyptians. He did not take revenge, contrary to the ancient tradition when opening an opposing city, and refrained from allowing his soldiers to loot the city. Under Roman rule, Alexandrian citizenship was a privilege only granted by the Emperor himself.
Thanks for the heads-up @Curtisimo, I appreciate it very much. - Yours is beautiful, a perfect reverse with all the details. What is above Nilus head? Never heard of a "pekheis" will google it
Thank you! We had a fun discussion about this iconography a few years ago. A pekheis was the personification of a cubit (unit of measure) in the form of a small child. The Nile ideally rose to 16 cubits which is why 16 is written on the reverse. On statues there were 16 pekheis shown along with Nilus such as this statue in the Vatican. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/eg...-a-magnificent-ancient-sculpture-type.370459/
Hi All, Mine, Ex-Antioch Associates (HC Lindgren) 1993; Ex-Frank D Arnold (CA, USA) 2/1993. Note from CNG Triton XXI Stafierri: This drachm, a two-year type (regnal years 12 & 15), is part of an extensive series of billon and bronze issues that commemorate Hadrian's triumphant tour of Egypt in 130 CE. Does anyone have a year 12? Refs: Emmett-0964.15; Geissen-1035; Dattari-1610 var: Legend; RPC III-5777/47; Milne-1317; BMC-0807, pl xxvii; Staffieri 'Alexandria In Nummis' #65. Weber-8340. - Broucheion
Here's an example of the type https://www.cointalk.com/threads/fo...m-if-you-got-‘em.300099/page-505#post-7883699
