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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Roman Collector, post: 3019584, member: 75937&quot;]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&#039;s co-rule with his father Septimius Severus. Upon Caracalla&#039;s ascension to sole ruler in 212, the imperial mint began striking coins bearing Serapis&#039; image. This was a reflection of the god&#039;s central role during Caracalla&#039;s reign.</p><p><br /></p><p>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.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]750427[/ATTACH]</p><p>Caracalla with Julia Domna, AD 198-217</p><p>Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 25.5 mm, 12.01 g, 7 h</p><p>Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, Quintilianus, legatus consularis, AD 212-217</p><p>Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓVCΤΟC ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right vis-à-vis draped bust of Julia Domna left</p><p>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</p><p>Refs: AMNG 689 var.; H&amp;J <i>Marcianopolis</i>, 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</p><p><br /></p><p>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:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]750428[/ATTACH]</p><p>Gordian III with Tranquillina, AD 238-244</p><p>Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion; 26.1 mm, 13.33 g, 6 h</p><p>Moesia Inferior, Odessos</p><p>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</p><p>Rev: ΟΔΗΞ - CЄΙΤΩΝ, Sarapis standing left, raising right hand and holding scepter; E (mark of value) in left field</p><p>Refs: AMNG I 1696; Moushmov 1696; Varbanov 4599; SNRIS Odessus 15 (a9).</p><p><br /></p><p>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.</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;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![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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