A few months ago I posted a provincial bronze struck for Titus Caesar at the ancient Jordanian city of Gadara with a crossed cornucopias reverse. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/off-the-beaten-path-gadara.380586/ Recently I was able to purchase the other main reverse type struck at this obscure provincial mint during the Flavian era. Titus as Caesar [Vespasian] Æ17, 3.66g Gadara mint, 73-74 AD Obv: ΤΙΤΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; Head of Titus, laureate, r. Rev: ΓΑΔΑΡΑ L ΖΛΡ; Turreted head of Tyche, r. RPC 2097 (8 spec.). Acquired from David Hendin, eBay, August 2021. Gadara was a member of the Greek Decaopolis city league. It produced a fleeting issue of small bronze coinage under Vespasian, most of which were stuck for Titus Caesar. Here we have a somewhat common Tyche reverse type from civic year 137 (73-74 AD) rendered in the mint's typical crude style. The coin's main attraction is the Hendin connection. Do you have an obscure provincial?? If so, I'd like to see it!
Nice coin. Here is my Gadara Titus with crossed cornucopiae, from another year than yours. Titus as Caesar Syria, Decapolis, Gadara AD 73-74 Obv.: TITOΣ KAIΣAP, laureate head right Rev.: ΓAΔAΡEΩN, crossed cornucopia, date LZΛP = year 137 above Ae, 4.53g, 18.3mm Ref.: RPC II 2096, Spijkerman 30, SNG ANS 1302
To be honest, I don't know enough about provincials to know how obscure coins from Emerita are. But I'm pretty certain they are less common than coins from Marcianopolis or Nicopolis. So I'll post the one: Tiberius Augustus, A.D. 14-37 Provincial Bronze (AE26) Spain, Emerita Obv: TI CAESAR AVGVSTVS PON MAX IMP Rev: COL AVGVSTA EMERTA - City gate RPC 42 26mm, 10.9g.
Interesting coin, @David Atherton, and from a town Jesus once visited (Matthew 8:28). Here are a couple of provincial cities that nobody had added to @TIF's Provincial coin cities thread until I contributed examples of them. I guess that qualifies as obscure. This one comes from Otrus in Phrygia, near Hieropolis with an O in the middle, not to be confused with Hierapolis with an A in the middle. It issued coins only intermittently. Plautilla, AD 202-205. Roman provincial Æ 20 mm, 4.1 g. Phrygia, Otrus, AD 202-205. Obv: ΦOVΛ ΠΛ-AVTIΛΛAC, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: OTP-O-HNΩN, Demeter standing left, holding grain ears and long torch. Refs: BMC 25.344,7; Von Aulock Phrygiens, 802-8; cf. SNG Cop 633. Palaeopolis in Pisidia issued coins from the early Antoninine period (Antoninus Pius, Faustina II under Pius, and some semi-autonomous issues) through the late Severan period (Elagabalus, Mamaea, and Severus Alexander). The ruins of the city are very likely those at Ak Euren in the open plains of the Lysis valley in Turkey, between Olbasa and Lysinia. Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman provincial Æ 19.5 mm, 5.14 g, 6 h. Pisidia, Palaeopolis, AD 148-150. Obv: ΦΑVϹΤЄΙΝΑ ϹЄΒΑϹΤ; draped bust of Faustina II, right, with early coiffure. Reverse: ΠΑΛΑΙΟΠΟΛЄΙΤΩΝ; Mên standing, left, wearing Phrygian cap, holding pine-cone and long scepter; behind his shoulders, crescent. Refs: RPC IV.3, 7692; von Aulock Pisid. I, 1090–2; SNG France 1655; Imhoof-Blumer 386, no. 1.
A recent addition not on @TIF's list. I found at least 2 more that will be added soon. Phrygia, Amorium. Apollo/Demeter Æ26 Obv: ΑΜΟΡΙΑΝΩΝ, head of Apollo, r.; to r., lyre. Rev: ƐΠΙ ϹƐΡΤΟΡΟϹ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΟV, veiled Demeter standing, l., holding poppy, ears of corn and long torch. Reign Antoninus Pius. Magistrate Sertor. Antonios (without title). RPC 1706 (temporary)
Gadara is at the northern tip of Jordan overlooking the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. It's modern name is Umm Qais after the Ottoman village built there. It is known from the Biblical story of the Gaderene swine. Great place to visit.
