Acropolis of Anazarbos

I picked up this interesting Trajan coin at a recent Leu Numismatik auction 7.
The noted first historical events about Anazarbos and its vicinity are dated back to the 1st century BC, extracted through the coins with the scripts of ‘Anazarbeon’. The Romans, who sovereigned the whole Mediterranean in this period, has left the ruling of the Ceyhan basin to an old pirate leader Tarkondimotos after the famous operation that General Pompeius subdued the pirates. Most of the pirates were killed, while the left were taken under control by settling them in a number of places. The capital of this region where Tarkondimotos has been appointed as a vassal king was Hierapolis-Kastabala. After a short period, in 19 AD, the city of Anazarbos was founded during the great Roman emperor Augustus’ visit to Tarkondimotos and its name was dedicated to Augustus as Kaisareia. By then, the capital Hierapolis-Kastabala kept its importance as a religious centre in the region, while Anazarbos started to coming into prominence as the political and economic centre of the Tarkondimotos Kingdom.
The mid of the 2nd century AD is the time that heyday of Anazarbos has begun. After the end of the civil war in Roman Empire in the end of the century, cities of Cilica Pedias (East Cilicia – Cilicia in plain) were considered ideal for billeting for Roman army during the war against Parths. Anazarbos, in this manner, has come into force as one of the cities where Roman army was supported logistically during Parth campaigns.
Emperor Septimius Severus, who was supported by Anazarbos during the civil war, honoured the city in return as “neokoros” in the years of 198 and 203, and as “metropolis” in 204. Subsequently, festivals and sport games namely “Severeia Olympia Epineikia” and “Severeia Philadelphia” were organized in honour of the emperor. While the city has the privilege for constructing the imperial cult by gaining the designation of “neokoros”, it has also been qualified for being the leader in the state assembly which started to gather in Anazarbos from 204. Traianus Decius, who was the emperor between the years of 249 and 251, entitled the city as “neokoros” for the third time and privileged it for arranging “Dekios Oikumenikos” games.
Many monumental structures like triumphal arches, roads with columns, theatre, amphitheatre (which is among the few examples in the region), stadium, temples, sarcophagus, rock-cut tombs, chamosorion typed tombs and baths were constructed in this era. Especially, triumphal arch (namely Alakapi) located on the south is among the unique and colossal structures of antiquity with its distinctive architectural style. Additionally, Cardo Maximus (main road with columns) crossing the city on the north-south axis is one of the widest and longest roads of antiquity with the sizes of 34 m. width and 2.5 km length.
Anazarbos, one of the metropolises of antiquity, stands as an exciting archaeological community with its spectacular architectural remains either unearthed or under the ground.
Anazarbos was honoured as “neokoros”three times during the Roman Period and had the privilege for constructing the imperial cult. It was also declared as“metropolis” by the Emperor Septimius Severus and qualified for being the leader in the state assembly which started to gather in Anazarbos from 204. The city arranged festivals and sport games namely “Severeia Olympia Epineikia”, “Severeia Philadelphia” and “Dekios Oikumenikos” in honour of the emperors on different dates.
The dozens of secondary roads perpendicularly intersecting the main street passing through the city reveals a spectacular urban planning with grid street designs. The connection between the downtown and the castle and acropolis settlement was provided through dozens of rock stairs carved on the bedrock. The massive and sumptuous acropolis cliffs are accessed through these numerous rock stairs providing a splendid link between the downtown and the high rocky city and allowing maximum land use, which displays the finest example of the city's a unique human settlement.
Although all the mentioned remains are documented and positioned on the site; the property is mostly under the alluvial deposits of Ceyhan River for today and archaeological works were justly initiated in 2012. Most of the unearthed remains are in such a good state of conservation giving an impression about the sites importance and potentials.

CILICIA. Anazarbus. Trajan, 98-117. Assarion (Bronze, 22 mm, 6.40 g, 12 h), CY 126 = 107/8. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟС СΕ ΓΕΡ ΔΑ Laureate head of of Trajan to right. Rev. KAICAPEΩN ΠP ANAZAPBΩ / ET ςKP Laureate and draped bust of Zeus before the Akropolis of Anazarbos. RPC III 3366.12 = Ziegler, Anazarbos, 97.13 (Vs1/Rs1, this coin cited). SNG Levante 1377. SNG Paris -. Ziegler 667-670. An interesting architectural type. About very fine.
From the collection of Dr. P. Vogl, privately purchased from Bankhaus Aufhäuser on 20 October 1987 (with original ticket).
Below a pic of the Acropolis looking through an arch in the lower ruins.

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Antoninus Pius (Augustus). 138-161 AD. CILICIA, Anazarbus. Dated CY 178 (159/60 AD). Æ (23mm, 5.50 gm, 9h). Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟС СƐΒ Ɛ, Π Π across field, laureate-headed bust wearing cuirass and paludamentum, r. Rev: KΑΙСΑΡƐΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟС ΤΩ ΑΝΑΖΑΡΒ ƐΤ (left field) ΗΟΡ (right field), turreted, veiled and draped bust of Tyche, r. RPC 4, 3628 (temporary). aEF, but inactive corrosion on lower left obverse.

 

Great write-up, @Ancient Aussie ! Here's my prettiest Trajan:

 

WOW exceptional detail especially for the type, the corrosion area doesn't detract from the eye appeal of the coin.

 

Nice one, I love those Mar's warlike types.

 

That coin caught my eye and made my watch list. I didn't bid but hoped that you did .

Here's a coin of Anazarbus from one of the first large group lots I bought:


CILICIA, Anazarbus. Severus Alexander
AE 24.8, 9.2 gm
struck CE 230/1
Obv: AVT KM AV CE AΛE ΞANDPOC; laureate bust right
Rev: ANAZ ENΔOΞMHTP・ETBMC; heptastyle temple; Γ-B across fields; AMK below temple
Ref: BMC Lycaonia, Isauria, and Cilicia, p. 26, number 26.

 

Nice coin @Ancient Aussie !

 

Nice one TIF, with a great patina. Did you pick up anything in that auction?

 

purdy neat coin there AA.. Ae22 Hostilian/ Apollo lyre, Cilicia, Anazarbus, 7.78gms

 

No, but I didn't have any serious targets. I bid on four lots and wasn't even the immediate underbidder except on one of those.

 

Very nice pickup!
I have no Trajans/ Cilicia...but have a Zeus (Jupiter)

 

The other one that I scored (Maxentius temple she wolf) I placed a high bid early and it went right up to it on hammer.

 

Nice one, I am yet to acquire an Hostilian.

 

Excellent!


Tarsus (?), Cilicia 4th c. BC , AR 3/4 obol .50g

Baal seated left holding a scepter in his left hand, grapes and corn ears in his right.

Forepart of a wolf right, crescent to upper left

SGCV II, 5660. SNG Levante 223

 

Beautiful coin Panza, with these gold coins you really set the bar high.

 

Thanks!
That one almost looks prooflike, the mints in Roman Empire were really at their highest point in coin design/ quality. From that point it went downhill, until 12th century, when beautifully crafted coinage became the norm.

 

Fantastic detail on such a small coin.

 

Well, since the thread was already dug up, I do have something from Anazarbus I can post. If anybody can help me out with the date on this, I'd be much obliged (see notes below):


Commodus Æ 24
Cilicia, Anazarbus
n.d.? (177-192 A.D.)
[MAΡ AYΡH] KOMOΔOC CEB, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right / [ΚΑΙϹ Τ]ωΝ ΠΡΟϹ ΑΝΑΖΑΡΒω ƐΤΟVϹ ΒϹ, diademed and draped bust of Zeus Olybrius right.
RPC IV.3, 3663 (temporary)
(7.41 grams / 24 x 22 mm)

Attribution Notes:
RPC IV.3, 3663 (temporary); Ziegler Kaiser 251; SNG Levante 1401; Paris 174; SNG France 2 2041.

Date might be part of reverse legend (ƐΤΟVϹ ΒϹ?), but I could not find an example with this interpreted.

 

Looks like a reverse die match to the BnF specimen shown at RPC. Anazarbus began its civic era from the year of Augustus’ refounding of the city in 19 BC. The correspondence between civic years and imperial reigns can be seen in Anazarbus year 235, when the city struck coins for the short-lived emperor Macrinus. He ruled from April 217 to June 218.

ƐΤΟVϹ BC (beta-sigma) is civic year 202, so AD 184/5.

 

Very nice coin! And a nice write up.

This is one of the last Kings of Cilicia, minted in Anazarbos:

Tarkondimotos, king of Eastern Cilicia. AE coin. Anazarbos mint, circa 39-31 B.C.
Obverse: Diademed head of Tarkondimotos I to right.
Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - ΤΑΡΚΟΝΔΙΜΟ/ΤΟΥ ΦΙΛΑΝΤΩΝΙΟΥ. Zeus seated left, holding Nike in his right hand and scepter with his left.
Reference: SNG Paris 1913-1916. Wright, New 1.
8.05g; 22mm