Featured Roman Provincial Coin Cities-- How many can we cover?

I hadn't read much (or maybe I hadn't remembered much ) of the history of Ephesus and reviewed its ancient history on Wikiwand. Apparently it bounced back and forth between Roman Republic and Mithradates VI in the 2nd-1st century BCE, ending up under Roman control from 86 BCE until its destruction in CE 263, and then it was rebuilt under Constantine.

It's hard to resist the temptation to make every coin fit into a tidy category. Maybe I should broaden my definition of "Roman Provincial" to include any coin manufactured anywhere other than Rome, during any of the Roman eras?

 

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Here's a Trajan D. from Edessa.

 

E is for Ephesus:


Julia Domna, AD 193-217
Roman AE 32 mm, 13.72 g
Ionia, Ephesus, AD 193-217
Obv: CЄBACTH IOY ΔOMNA, bare-headed and draped bust, right
Rev: ЄΦЄϹΙΩΝ TPIC NЄΩKOPΩN, carpentum drawn right by two mules
Refs: SNG Copenhagen 417; BMC 267 var. (obv legend).

 

One of my favorites and probably the most scarce.

Elis

Achaea. Elis, Elis. Septimius Severus AE18. Peloponnesus.
Obv. - ΛCEPCEBHP.. Septimius Severus laureate, head rt.
Rev. - HΛEIWΝ Zeus standing rt. holding eagle in left hand and throwing lightning bolt with rt.
Possibly unique.

The first Olympic festival was organized in Olympia by the authorities of Elis in the 8th century BC, with tradition dating the first games at 776 BC.


Epiphaneia
Cilicia, Epiphaneia. Geta Caesar AE22
Epiphaneia. Geta, 209-212. When Caesar under Septimius Severus. Bronze, 208-209. Drap., Bareheaded bust nr Rv. îPIFAN-I-wN Nike with palm branch and wreath nl, in the field date YOC (= year 276 of the Lokalaera). 6.07 g. SNG Levante 1822 (Av. stgl.). Rare.


Eumeneia

Phrygia, Eumeneia. Tiberius. AD 14-37. AE18.
Obv: Laureate head right.
Rev: Zeus standing left, holding patera and scepter; star to left.
Kleon Agapetos, magistrate.
RPC 3147

 

Strong work, everyone!

Any Fs or Gs out there? I have none.

 

G is for Gaba.

We don't know as much about this city as we would like. Gaba is believed to have been in the tetrarchy of Trachonitis ruled over by Herod Philip II (4BC-AD34). After the death of Herod Philip II, the area was annexed to the Roman province of Syria. The site which produced coins in the Imperial period could be either Gaba (modern Jaba') or Gaba Philippi (modern Tell Shosh/Tell Abu Shusha).


Sabina, AD 117-137
Roman provincial Æ 17.3 mm, 4.65 g
Trachonitis, Gaba, AD 133-134
Obv: ΒΑC-CΑΒЄΙΝΑ, bare-headed and draped bust right
Rev: ΓΑΒ-ΗΝѠΝ, naked male figure (Zeus?) standing facing, holding scepter and mantle; ΦΔ (city year 194 = AD 133/4) in field, left
Refs: Rosenberger CCOP 14; similar to SGI 1316 and Hendin 854.

 

FLAVIOPOLIS
ANTONINUS PIUS
AE25. Rare. Heavy specimen. 10.43g, 24.6mm. CILICIA, Flaviopolis, 140/141 AD (Year 68 of Flaviopolis). SNG von Aulock 8672; SNG France 2181; Waddington 4285; Ziegler 1244. O: AYT KAI TI AIΛ AΔP ANTΩNEINOC CEB, laureate head right. R: ΘEA ΦAYCTEINA ΦΛAYIOΠOΛEITΩN, draped bust of Faustina right; ET - ΞH in field.

Notes:
Flaviopolis was founded in AD 74 by Vespasian as part of a program to urbanize the Cilician plains.

 

Here's a couple from Gaza Judaea:

Hadrian with reverse of Herakles, nude, standing facing, looking left; leaning on club and holding lion's skin; Phoenician mem to left


Augustus with reverse of Tyche standing facing, head left, holding palm and grain ears; Phoenician “mem” to left, date to right

 

Oh goodie, it's H day

Several of my newer and favorite provincials are from H-towns.

Hadrianopolis

THRACE, Hadrianopolis. Gordian III
AE 18 mm, 2.59 gm
Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓORΔIANOC AVΓ; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: AΔPIANOΠOΛEITΩN; ostrich running right
Ref: Varbanov 3833, rare
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-now-extinct-animal-on-a-roman-coin.287175/


THRACE, Hadrianopolis. Gordian III
AE 22 mm, 5.18 gm
Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC; radiate head right
Rev: AΔPIANOΠOΛЄITΩN; Pan advancing left, holding syrinx and lagobolon
Ref: Varbanov 3945 corr. (cantharus in place of syrinx). Very rare.
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-fully-loaded-pan.287115/

Hadrianothera

MYSIA, Hadrianothera. Hadrian
After CE 123
Æ 16 mm, 2.30 gm
Obv: AΔPIANOC AYΓOYCTOC; bare head right
Rev: AΔPIANOΘHPITN; head of she-bear left
Ref: AMNG 565; SNG France 1091; RPC 1629. Rare.

 

Hadrianopolis also:


Faustina Jr, AD 147-175
Roman provincial Æ 22.4 mm, 6.54 g
Thrace, Hadrianopolis
Obv: ΦΑVCΤΙΝΑ CΕΒΑCΤH, pearl-diademed and draped bust, right
Rev: ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ, Hera veiled, standing in front of altar, holding patera and scepter
Refs: Moushmov 2532; Varbanov 1631, SNG Cop 558; BMC --

 

HIERAPOLIS

PHRYGIA, Hierapolis
Civic Issue
AE28. 12.36g, 28mm. Circa AD 2nd-3rd centuries. RPC Online 2045; SNG Cop 428. O: IЄPAΠOΛЄI-TΩN, head of youthful Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath. R: The Abduction of Persephone: Hades in galloping quadriga right, carrying off struggling Persephone.

Notes on the city:

Hierapolis was a city located in southwestern Anatolia. Apart from temples of Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon and Cybele, there was also a oracular shrine dedicated to Pluto located within a cave choked with carbon dioxide gas. The poisonous atmosphere of this Ploutonion allowed it to serve as a local gate to the underworld when rituals to the god were held.

Philip the Apostle spent his last years in Hierapolis. He was crucified in the town in AD 80 during the reign of the emperor Titus. A bronze bread stamp from the 6th century, now in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, shows Philip standing before his martyrium and a church containing his tomb, both of which have been discovered at the site of Hierapolis.

 

Lydia, Hierocaesareia, time of Trajan (98 to 117 AD). 23mm; 9.2 g

Obv: ΙƐΡΟΚΑΙС[ΑΡ]ƐΙΑ; turreted and draped bust of Tyche, r.
Rev: ΑΝΘΥΠΑΤΩ ΦΕΡΟΚΙ; Perseus nude standing facing, head l., holding harpa in r. hand, head of Gorgon in l.

RPC vol. 3 #1848, Stumpf 566.

The town was originally called Hieracome from an ancient sanctuary of Artemis Persikae. The name Hierocaesareia was conferred upon it by Tiberius. The coin types refer to the cultus of the Persic Artemis and of Perseus. The site of Hierocaesarea must have been between the modern Turkish villages of Beyova and Sasova, seven or eight miles southeast of Thyatira, on the left bank of the Koum-Chai river.

Two examples in RPC online. This one, although it has a gouge on the reverse, is nicer than the picture in RPC online.

 

HIEROCAESAREIA SEMI-AUTONOMOUS CIVIC ISSUE
AE15
OBVERSE: PERCIKH; draped bust of Artemis Persica right, with bow and quiver
REVERSE: IEROKAICAREWN, flaming altar
Struck at Hierocaesaria 117-138AD
2.66g, 15mm
BMC 7

 

GORDIAN III
AE26
OBVERSE: ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡ∆ΙΑΝΟC ΑΥΓ ΤΡΑΝΚΥΛ/ΛΙΝΑ, confronted busts of Gordian III and Tranquillina
REVERSE: ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝΩΝ ΓΧΙΑΛΕ/ΩΝ, Tyche or Homonoia standing left wearing modius, patera in right, cornucopia in left
Struck at Hadrianopoli, 238-244 AD
12.44g, 26mm
AMNG II 675

 

I'd been waiting for H
So I'll add another Hieroceasaria

LYDIA, Hierocaesarea. Pseudo-autonomous.
Æ15, 2.0g, 6h; Time of Trajan-Hadrian, AD 98-138.
Obv: ΠЄΡСΙΚΗ; Draped bust of Artemis Persica right, with quiver over shoulder and bow and arrow at breast.
Rev: ΙЄΡΟΚΑΙСΑΡЄΩΝ; Lighted altar.
Reference: RPC III 1856; SNG von Aulock 2952.

 

Well, both of my 'H's have been posted, but I'll just leave these two here anyway...


Provincial Rome - Thrace
Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D.
Hadrianopolis, AE 26, 25.88 x 11 grams
Obv.: AVT K M AVR CE ANTΩNEINOC. Laureate bust right
Rev.: AΔRIANO-ΠOΛEITΩN. Pan standing right, with horns and legs of goat, holding crook next to head and lionskin fleece over left arm, left foot on panther lying on its back
Ex. DC Collection


Provincial Rome - Phrygia
Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D.
Hieropolis, AE30, 30 mm x 12.36 grams
Obv.: AV K M AVP ANTΩNΕINO/C. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: ΙΕ POΠ ΛEITΩN. Nemesis, wearing polos, standing facing, head right, holding rein or halter. To right Serapis, enthroned left with Cerberus at feet.

 

H... HIPPO-CAMP:

Does THIS WORK???

I kept looking for a Herd of Hippos on this coin... It has a hippocamp...

Sicily Syracuse ca 410 BC AE 19 Athena Wreath Hippocamp

 

I have an H!




HERMOCAPELIA, LYDIA: TIME OF HADRIAN 117-138 AD

O: Bust of Senate. R: Turreted head of Roma. SNG Cop 165. 17 mm, 2.5 g

 

I've been out of town for a few so I'm catching up with F,G and H's.


Gythium

Achaea. Laconia, Gythium. Caracalla AE20.
Obv: Caracalla bust r.
Rev: GYThEA [TW]N. Hermes standing left, chlamys over l. shoulder, holding purse in his right hand and kerykeion in his left.


Hieropolis-Kastabala

Cilicia, Hieropolis-Kastabala. Lucilla AE24
Lucilla, Augusta, 164-182 AD. AE24
Obv: Draped bust of Lucilla right, wearing stephane.
Rev: Turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Artemis-Tyche left; torch before.
SNG von Aulock 5573

Hypaepa

Lydia, Hypaepa. AE18, Magistrate Jul. Menandros.
Obv: EΠ IOYΛ MENANΔΡOY, bearded head of Herakles right.
Rev: YΠAIΠHNΩN, Asklepios standing facing, in long chiton and chlamys, leaning on serpent-entwined staff.
Magistrate Jul. Menandros. 138-161., BMC 4-5.

Germe

Mysia, Germe, Conventus of Cyzicus. Pseudo-autonomous AE20
Between 138 and 192 AD.
Obverse: ΙΕΡΑ ΣΥΝΚΗΤΟΣ, draped bust of the Senate (youthful), r.
Reverse: ΓΕΡΜ ΗΝΩΝ, Nude Heracles standing, facing, head, l., resting arm on club, holding lion-skin


Hadrianopolis Sebaste

Phrygia, Hadrianopolis Sebaste. Maximus Caesar AE20
Obv: K MAX IMOC. Bust of Maximus Caesar r., bare-headed, in cuirass and paludamentum.
Rev: ADRIAN EPI C' LOYKIOY. Tyche wearing polos, holding patera in r. and cornucopia in l.
20mm. 5.63gm.
IMHOOF RSN 1913 S67,187(1)


Hierapolis (not Hieropolis) in alliance with Ephesus

Phrygia, Hierapolis in alliance with Ephesus. AE22 Pseudo-autonomous. Boule/Men.
Obv: IEPAPOLEITWN K EFECIWN, Veiled bust of Boule r.
Rev: NEWKOPWN OMON(OIA), Men in Phrygian cap standing r., head l., r. foot on bull's skull, holding pine cone and scepter.

BMC 187, pl. 52.5 and SNG Copenhagen 470, but seems to be from new dies on both sides.

Commemorating the harmony with Ephesus in Ionia, assigned to the time of Valerian/Gallienus.

Hyrgaleis

Phrygia, Hyrgaleis. Geta AE24
Obv: PO SEPT G ETAS KAI / Geta bust r.
Rev: YRGALLEWN / Tyche in long chiton with cornucopia in l. and rudder in r., standing left.
24mm., 7.2g.

Hieropolis, Syria

Syria, Cyrrhestica, Hieropolis. Lucius Verus AE22
Hieropolis (originally Bambyce); Syria; Syria: Cyrrhestica
Date 161–169
Obverse design radiate head of Lucius Verus, r.
Obverse inscription ΑΥΤΟ Λ ΑΥΡΗΛΙ ΟΥΗΡΟΣ ΣΕΒ.
Reverse design in laurel wreath; in upper field, star.
Reverse inscription ΘΕΑΣ ΣΥΡΙΑΣ ΙΕΡΟΠΟ and below, numeral Γ.

 

This is Anchialus, Thrace. ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝΩΝA ΓΧΙΑΛΕΩΝ
The Greek for the city reads Agchialus which did not pronounce as their rules of euphony required so the G was said NG but for a reason beyond me became Anchialus in Latin. Of course the coins always are in the genitive plural so they read 'of the Ulpian Anchialans'.

I suppose we could get really picky here and point out that Hadrian in Greek was spelled without the initial H. Modern Greek marks such sounds with a diacrytical mark but the city name began with an A since no Greek words have an initial H that is written. Note also that the Ulpian name (meaning it was founded under Trajan whose family name was Ulpius) starts with OV or OY again a requirement of Greek ears that could not tolerate some sounds together. Most Classics students come out with a great respect for the Greek language or drop it altogether and say "It's Greek to me."