One of the large provincials that came in this week. It's from Tarsus, a large city in Cilicia, in the south-east of nowadays Turkey. Many of you know that the apostle Paul was born there, as a Roman citizen. This coin dates from more than two centuries later: Gordian III. AD 238-244. AE34, Tarsus. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. AVT K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC CЄBA / Π - Π [Don't know what these two Pi's mean]. Rev. Gordian standing left, holding Victory on a globe and a spear. TAPCOV MHTPOΠOΛ / N Γ - K B. 34 mm, 15.59 gr. SNG France 1682 var. Not a common type, and I like the portrait, a boy reigning over millions, looking sternly up. He's going for Victory... but after only a few years he died, 19 years old, during or after a battle against the Sasanian Persians under Shapur I.
I really like these big Cilician Provincial bronzes. Here are a few from Tarsus. CARACALLA AE32. 17.91g, 32.3mm. CILICIA, Tarsus, circa AD 198-217. SNG France 1520. O: AVT KAI M AVP CЄVHPOC ANTΩNЄINOC CЄB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; Π – Π in fields. R: ANTΩNIANHC CЄV MHTP / TAPCOV / A M K Γ Β, Herakles left, lifting Antaios off the ground; club draped with lion skin to left. CARACALLA AE33. 21.27g, 33.5mm. CILICIA, Tarsus, struck circa AD 215. SNG France 1515. O: [AVT KAI M AVP CEVHPOC ANTΩNEI]NOC CEB , laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; Π-Π in fields. R: [ANTΩNIANHC CEVH AΔP MHT TAPCOV ΓB], Elephant standing left, head turned slightly facing; above, Ciliarch crown inscribed O MAK K. GORDIAN III AE34. 20.82g, 34.3mm. CILICIA, Tarsus, circa AD 238-244. SNG France 1667 var. (rev legend). O: AVT KAI M ANTΩNIOC ΓOPΔIANOC CЄB, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right; Π – Π in exergue. R: TAPCOV MHTPOΠOΛЄΩ / A M - K Γ B, Hercules standing facing, head left, holding club and apples of the Hesperides; tree to left, from which hangs the carcass of the monstrous serpent Ladon. GORDIAN III AE37. 21.38g, 36.7mm. CILICIA, Tarsus, circa AD 238-244. SNG France 1677. O: AVT K M ANT ΓOΡΔIANOC CEB, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; Π-Π in fields. R: TAPCOV MHTPO ΠOΛEΩC / AM KΓ (or similar), Two Ciliarch crowns, the outer decorated with nine busts, the inner with six. HERENNIA ETRUSCILLA AE29. 13.29g, 29.4mm. CILICIA, Tarsus, AD 249-251. RPC 1368. O: ΑΝΝΙΑΝ (sic) ΑΙΤΡΟΥϹΚΙΛΛΑΝ ϹƐ, draped bust right, wearing stephane, crescent behind shoulders. R: Τ - ΑΡϹΟV ΜΗ – ΤΡΟΠΟΛƐΩϹ around, Α /Μ / Κ - Γ / Β in field, Cult statue of Apollo Lykeios standing left on omphalos, head right, holding wolf by forelegs in each hand.
I also have this big one, with a less spectacular reverse. Rather rough unfortunately. AE33 Valerianus (253-260). Tarsus, Cilicia. 255-257 AD. Obv. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. AY K LI PO OYALERIANOC CE P P (or similar). Rev. Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae. TARSOY MHTROPOLEW/ A M K G B in fields. 33 mm, 23.94 gr.
