Coins with Temples

No harm in that! I don't think I saw it the first time around, so it's new to me.

I love the shield on the 2nd Philip from Nisibis!

There don't seem to be many Greek (pre-Roman) temple coins, do there? The Romans sure loved their temple coins, though!

(Incidentally, I just noticed all 5 coins I've posted are from the reign of Philip I -- interesting! I'd love to post my Elagabalus from Laodicea [the RPC 8177 "digital plate coin"], but don't want to break the mono-regnal run!)

If I could only keep one...

I guess probably this Ludi Saeculares Antoninianus (Sear RCV 8963):




In general, though, my favorite Roman Provincial Temple coins are the Provincial "Neokorate" types.

Neokoros was a special, privileged status for a city, and they always advertised it on their coins, usually with an image of a temple (one of the requirements for Neokoroi was a temple to the Imperial Cult; the title means "temple-bearer").

[See Barbara Burrell's (2004) excellent book on the subject, Neokoroi: Greek Cities and Roman Emperors. A good chunk is available free on the Google Books preview, and well worth it. Also some relevant ANS Long Tables, recorded & available on Youtube or ANS website: 156, 152, probably others.]​

This temple in Thessaloniki was a temple to Kaberois, probably located in the city's sacred quarter (where excavations have been underway for generations). I think it's likely they were also practicing "temple-sharing" and the same physical structure may have served the Imperial Cult, too. This coin celebrates the second local Kabeiric Pythian Games (another requirement for the status):

Macedon, Thessalonica. Philip II (Caesar) AE Tetrassarion (26.5mm, 11.23g, 7h), Second Pythian Games issue, struck circa 246 CE.
Obv: · ΜΑΡ · ΙΟΥΛΙΟϹ · ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟϹ · ΚƐ (·) – Mar(cus) Julius Philippus Ca(esar). Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Philip II facing right, seen from rear.
Rev: ΘƐϹϹΑΛΟΝΙΚƐΩΝ ΝƐΩ / ·ΠΥΘΙΑΔΙ· / ·Β· – Of the Thessalonians, Neo(korate) / Pythian Games / #2. Temple (of Kabeiros?) with four side columns, on podium, seen in 3/4 perspective to right.
Ref: RPC VIII (Temp.) 69113, ex. 6 (this coin) [LINK]; Touratsoglou (Thessaloniki, 1988) 62 (Philip II); Varbanov (vol III, 2007) 4740; Moushmov –.
See also: Jean Hourmouziadis “Virtual Collection” SHH v3964 (this coin) [LINK].
Provenance: Ex-Dix, Noonan, Webb A7 (17 Mar 2009), Lot 1235; Pegasi MBS 22 (20 Apr 2010), Lot 383 (unsold, and numerous later Pegasi/VAuctions sales through 2020); CNG e-Auction 489 (7 Apr 2021), Lot 272 [LINK]​

Cities could also be awarded "double Neokoros" status (and rarely even triple or quadruple!) ... How to illustrate your twice-Neokorate status?

With TWO temples, of course!! One in each of Tyche's hands:

Bithynia, Nicomedia. Otacilia AE Tetrassarion (27mm, 11.21g), 244-249.
Obv: Μ ΩΤΑΚΙΛΑΙΑ CΕΥΗΡΑ ΑΥ. Diademed and draped bust of Otacilia Severa, r.
Rev: ΝΙΚΟΜΗΔƐΩΝ ΔΙϹ ΝƐΩΚΟΡΩΝ (final N retrograde in l. field...but why?!). Tyche standing l., holding a small temple model with six columns in each hand.
Ref: RPC VIII (Temp) 20005, ex. 5 (this coin) = Lindgren & Kovacs (1985), 177 (this coin).
Prov: Ex H.C. Lindgren (1914-2005) Collection = CNG EA 518, 15 June 2022, lot 917 (part of) = Antioch Associates Buy-or-Bid Sale Number 15 (1 Jun 1998), Lot 100.​

I recently added a few that I may not have posted yet:

Syria, Cyrrhus. Philip I AE (29mm, 11.91g, 7h), 244-249.
Obv: ΑΥΤΟΚ Κ Μ ΙΟΥΛΙ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟϹ ϹƐΒ. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip I, r., seen from rear.
Rev: ΔΙΟϹ Κ(Α)ΤƐΒΑΤΟΥ ΚΥΡΗϹΤΩΝ. Temple with six columns enclosing Zeus seated facing, holding sceptre and thunderbolt, eagle at feet, garlands or curtains above; above temple, bull (?) leaping r.
Ref: RPC VIII (Temp) 7845.
Prov: CNG EA 548 (18 Oct 2023) lot 1115 (part of), ex M. Slavin coll., ex Matt Geary (Praetorian Coins) 23 Jun 1999.​

There's been some question whether, below, we're seeing a temple upon a rocky hill, or seeing some kind of foreground in perspective. It's an interesting idea, but I figure it's meant to be a temple on a hill. Either way, the engraver really messed up the lines on this die (compounded by the countermark, which also unfortunately obliterated Phil. Jr.'s face!):

Syria, Zeugma. Philip II AE (29mm, 16.24g, 6h), 247-249.
Obv: ΑΥΤΟΚ Κ Μ ΙΟΥΛΙ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟϹ ϹΕΒ. Laureate, draped & cuirassed bust r., seen from rear.
Rev: ΖΕΥΓΜΑΤΕΩΝ. Temple w/ four columns containing seated figure facing, on rocky hilltop w/ buildings at the base & steps or colonnades on either side; below, Capricorn left.
Ref: RPC VIII (Temp) 8195; SGIC 4142 var.
Prov: C. Jackson-Jacobs coll. = CNG EA 548 (18 Oct 2023) lot 1115 (part of), ex M. Slavin coll., acq. 23 Jun 2004.​

 

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Trebonianus Gallus and Volusian, AE 8 assaria of Antioch. On the reverse, the Tychaion of Antioch. It does not represent the temple facade, but much more probably the inner shrine under which the Tychaion (the statue by Eutychides) was placed.



Justin I (518-527), AE Pentanummion of Antioch. On the reverse, the statue of the Tyche of Antioch, the river Orontes swimming at her feet, in an arched shrine on two columns, a simplified version of the shrine depicted on 3rd c. coins. This pentanummion depicting the pagan Tychaion of Antioch, at a time when the empire was officially Christian, is probably one of the latest Roman temple coins.

 

Not many Roman Imperial (silver) temples but here my Philip I:

 

I have only one coin with a temple.
GALLIENUS Antoninianus. 259-260 Lugdunum mint.
GALLIENVS (dot) P (dot) F (dot) AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right / DEO MARTI, distyle temple with Mars standing left within, left hand holding inverse spear and resting right hand on shield. RIC 10 var (dots in legend). Goebl 889g. Elmer 85; RSC 149; Cohen 615. Sear5 10195. 2,2 g - 21 mm

 

A few more newly acquired temple coins. These have a fun "spin" as they are double struck errors:


mum's the word (no mouth obverse); looks like an earthquake struck the temple on the reverse


I bet no one else own's a 3 column temple coin....
Both of these coins are double die matches, most likely struck consecutively.