Since poor Elagabalus had only a Billon Tet and a Antoninianus to keep him company, I felt compelled to add a bronze to the mix....and this one instantly grabbed me. Who doesn't love a deity like Serapis wearing a basket??? Of course, the 'Kalathos' device represents abundance and/or fertility. I will try to approximate the Greek lettering. And,Yes, another coin from Bulgaria (Struck at not purchased from) Elagabalus, Bronze Assarion, 17.8mm, 3.73 grams Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior (Nikyup, Bulgaria) Circa 218-222 AD Laureate head right AVT MAVPH ANONINO C Draped bust of Serapis wearing kalathos NIKOROVITON NIPOCICTPON Varbanov 1 3825 Please post any coins of the type, especially any depicting Serapis or any other Egyptian God(dess)....
That's a wonderful example Mikey. I have several Assarion coins, but this one has Serapis with his basket. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS AE17 Assarion OBVERSE: AV K L CEVHPOC, laureate bust right REVERSE: NIKOPOL PROC IC, Draped bust of Serapis in modius, facing right Struck at Nikopolis ad Istrum, 193-211 AD 2.6g, 15mm Moushmov 927
A simply charming provincial, Mikey, and in excellent shape to boot! IMHO, an Egyptian deities theme would make for a really interesting collection. Serapis and Isis at least would be very easy to collect, given how widespread their cults were. I have a few with Isis to show, all a lot more distressed than the OP coin, but we take what we can get. BITHYNIA, Tium (present day Filyas in Turkey) - Marcus Aurelius, AE19 THRACE, Serdica (present day Sofia in Bulgaria) - Marcus Aurelius, AE19 SYRIA, Antioch (present day Antakya in Turkey) - Claudius Gothicus, Antoninianus ROME - Festival of Isis, AE4, temp. Julian II Isis with bonus god Hermanubis (a hybrid of the Egyptian Anubis and the Greek Hermes)
Wow, Mikey-Z => that's a great addition (sweet Serapis) => you want Serapis? => well okay then, Sarapis it is, my cool coin-friend!! Egypt, PB Tessera Serapis & Gryphon with wheel Alexandria, Julia Mamaea Augusta Bi Tet Julia Mamaea & Serapis Philip II, Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis AE As Philip II with Serapis & Serpent Egypt, Alexandria, Antoninus Pius AE Drachm Sarapis-Agathodaemon on Horse Egypt, Alexandria, Antoninus Pius AE Drachm Sarapis above Eagle Egypt, Alexandria, Antoninus Pius AE Drachm Serapis with Dioscuri Serapis, Sarapis ... tomayto, tomahto
I have only one assarion which was struck in Antioch. It represents Emperor Diaduminian. BMC 408 - SGI 3017.
WOW !!! The posts are extraordinary!! Just a fantastic array of variations!! Dang, Now I have to get some with 'anubis' as well LOL Interesting that so many of this 'theme' were struck in 'Bulgaria'. Any insight why Egyptian gods appear so popular there and not so much elsewhere??? It seems the coins posted on CT compel me to purchase similar types more than 'reading the book first' ...(sorry JA).
what great details on that provincial! here's one from the same guy and same place...but no serapis...and not as nice on the details. Elagabalus, 218 - 222 AD, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior, AE assarion O: AVT K M ANTΩNINOC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right R: ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC ΙCΤΡΟΝ, Nike standing left, and Elagabalus standing right holding spear, they erect a trophy of captured arms with two bound captives at the base Varbanov 3859 17.5 mm 3.7 g here's my only european provencial coin with serapis on it, a philip ii from thrace..
My only coin with Serapis on reverse belongs to Emperor Gallienus. It was struck neither in Egypt nor in Bulgaria.
If I recall correctly, Serapis was most widely adopted, throughout all of the Roman Empire. Isis comes in a close second - she had her cults all over the Levant, Asia Minor, and perhaps farther West. I'm not at home, so I can't double-check. Naturally, one finds more Egyptian themes on the tets of Alexandria, but that's to be expected. When you see Serapis on Imperial denarii however, that to me is very interesting. @Sallent has one that came from me, but I'll let him post it if he wants.
The cults of Isis and Serapis were very popular in the Roman world, initially with the lower classes. There was a temple to them in Rome built as early as the 1st century BC. There's also a famous temple of Isis in Pompeii and one discovered in London dating to the 1st century. Prudes like Augustus were very dismayed with the popularity of 'pornographic' cults like that of Isis, but could do little to dampen their popularity. Caligula, however, was a fan and tolerated if not encouraged worship of Isis and Serapis. The Flavians were adherents of the cult (having gotten acquainted with it while they governed in the east), and Septimius Severus and Caracalla were fervent devotees of Serapis.
