This little provincial bronze is a recent acquisition. It was minted in Nacrasa, a former Seleucid stronghold in northern Lydia that had once been garrisoned by a Macedonian guard. It was an important fortress for the Kingdom of Pergamon, securing the road from Thyatira to Pergamum. Many scholars believe the towns known as Acrasus (Ἄκρασος) and Nacrasa (Νάκρασα) in various ancient sources are one and the same,[1,2] but this is uncertain.[3,4] This map (uncited) from Ancientmoney.org[4] depicts Nacrasa and Acrasus as being two separate cities. It appears the city first struck coinage under Domitian and its last coins were struck under Marcus Aurelius. The various Strategoi under whose authority the issues were minted are typically, though not universally, named on the coins of this city. The reverse types chiefly refer to the cults of Artemis, Kybele, and Asklepios.[5] My coin depicts a rather Greek-appearing Artemis in a tetrastyle temple. Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman provincial Æ 17.2 mm, 3.73 g, 6 h. Lydia, Nacrasa, likely issued under Strategos Milon, AD 161-163. Obv: ΦΑVϹΤΕΙ-ΝΑ ϹЄΒΑ, bare-headed and draped bust of Faustina, right. Rev: ΝΑΚΡ-ΑϹЄ-ΩΝ, tetrastyle temple enclosing statue of Artemis standing left, holding bow, drawing arrow from quiver at shoulder. Refs: BMC 22.169, 26; RPC IV.2 1353 temp; Imhoff-Blumer LS 106 no. 5. This Greek-appearing Artemis may not accurately reflect the cult statue of Artemis as worshiped in the city. The avatar of Artemis worshiped in many cult centers of Lydia was Artemis Anaïtis, who is depicted similarly to the Ephesian Artemis, but with a tall kalathos on her head, supporting a veil which falls all the way to the ground on both sides of her body. See this thread. Indeed, many coins of this city depict an Ephesian-style Artemis, often flanked by stags, either alone or within a tetrastyle temple. Pseudo-autonomous issue under Trajan, RPC III, 1794. Issue under Hadrian, RPC III, 1808. Post any coins you have of Nacrasa or anything you feel is relevant! ~~~ Notes: 1. Smith, William. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. Vol. 2, Little, Brown & Co., 1865, p. 395. Available online at The Perseus Project. 2. "Akrasos." Pleiades, https://pleiades.stoa.org/places/554181 3. Head, Barclay Vincent. A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum: Lydia. Printed by Order of the Trustees, 1901, pp. lxxvi-lxxvii. Available online at Forum Ancient Coins. 4. See, for example, Ancientmoney.org, Map of Ancient Lydia, https://www.ancientmoney.org/non_greek_kingdoms/lydia_map.html. 5. Head, op cit., pp. lxxvii-lxxviii.
Here are two more coins of Nacrasa with Artemis: Trajan Lydia, Nacrasa AD 98-117 Obv: AV NЄP TPAIANON CЄ, Laureate head right. Rev: NAKPACITΩN, Tetrastyle temple, with pellet in pediment and containing Artemis standing left, holding bow and drawing arrow from quiver on back. AE, 4.91g, 19mm Ref.: Lindgren III 492; Hunter 1 Asia Minor, Lydia, Nacrasa, Artemis, Apollo LYDIA. Nacrasa. Pseudo-autonomous. Time of Hadrian (117-138). Artemidoros, strategos. Obv: NAKPACITΩN, draped bust of Artemis left, with quiver over shoulder; bow to left. Rev: ЄΠI CTPATHΓOV APTЄMIΔOPOY, Apollo standing left, holding branch. AE, 8.53g, 24mm Ref.: RPC 1808A-4 (this coin)
Just got this today, would be interested to know anything about it. Roman Provincial, Trajan AE20 Nacrasa, Lydia, rev. Nike, 98-117AD obv. AY NЄP TRAIANON CЄ ΓЄP, laureate head of Trajan right rev. NAKPACITΩN, Nike advancing left, holding wreath and palm composition: AE diameter: 20mm weight: 4.1g reference: RPC III 1800, BMC Lydia 15
