Show Your Serapis Heads

I particularly like Serapis themed coins. This is one of Maximinus Daia with Genius holding the head of Serapis.

Maximinus as Augustus, Type Reduced AE Follis, 22mm 4.3 grams

Obverse: IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS PF AVG, Laureate head right

Reverse: GENIO AVGVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, holding head of Serapis in right hand, naked but for chamlys over left shoulder, cornucopia in left hand, palm branch at feet

Mint: Alexandria

Reference: RIC VI 157b, p. 685







Please share your Serapis heads or any Serapis coins. Thanks.

 

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Maximinus II from Nicomedia

Sol standing left in long robe, right hand raised, left hand holding head of Serapis

 

Anonymous
Early 4th c. AD
Alexandria mint
Obvs: DEO SARAPIDI, Bearded bust of Sarapis right, wearing modius.
Revs: SANCTO NILO. River-god Nile reclining left, holding reed and cornucopia, resting on hippopotamus, crocodile or sphinx to right. ALE
AE 12x13mm, 1.22g
Ref: Vagi 2960; Van Heesch 8

Still researching these, so the description is vague at the moment.

 

If you haven't seen it yet, the best place to start is--

Alföldi, Andreas. "A Festival of Isis in Rome under the Christian Emperors of the IVth Century"

 

Me too!!

I'd like to get one of this type, with the head held behind the standing figure. Gorgeous coin!


Head of Serapis being held:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Maximian
potin tetradrachm, regnal year 1 (CE 285/6)
Obv: laureate bust right
Rev: Alexandria standing left, holding the head of Serapis and a sceptre; L-A
Ref: Dattari-Savio Pl. 285, 10657 (this coin); Emmett 4093.1
ex Dattari collection (Giovanni Dattari, 1858-1923)


EGYPT, Alexandria. Philip I
Regnal year 4, CE 246/7
Billon tetradrachm; 23mm, 13.4g
Obv: A K M IOV ΦIΛIΠΠOC ЄYC; laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
Rev: Alexandria standing facing, towered head left, holding bust of Serapis in right hand, vertical scepter in left; L Δ (date) across field.
Ref: Emmett 3469.4; Dattari 4856 and 4857; Förschner (Frankfurt Museum) 973-975; Curtis 1320; Savio (Museum Osnabrück) 1895-1896; Dattari-Savio plate 257, coins 4856, 4857, and 10518
ex Eng Collection
ex Zach Beasley
ex Keith Emmett Collection
ex Decus 1986

Head of Serapis as the main device:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian
year 4, CE 119/20
tetradrachm, 25 mm, 13.3 gm
Obv: AVTKAITPAI AΔPIACEB; laureate bust right
Rev: draped bust of Serapis right; L - Δ
Ref: Emmett 889.4, R4; Dattari (Savio) 7462 var. (without crescent); K&G 32.124

Serapis-headed serpents:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
Regnal year 17
AE drachm, 33mm
Obv: laureate bust right
Rev: Serapis-Agathodaemon standing erect right
Ref: Dattari 2829; Emmett 1678.17
Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman Egyptian Coinage, previously held by the Art Institute of Chicago (1982.1988, G.781)


EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
Æ drachm (32mm, 23.0 g, 12h); RY 23 (CE 159/60)
Obv: Laureate bust right, slight drapery
Rev: Serapis-Agathodaemon serpent erect right on horseback advancing right; L K Γ (date) across field. Only the K is visible on this coin but this is the only year of issue for the type
Ref: Cf. Köln 1852-3; Dattari (Savio) 8939; K&G 35.820; Emmett 1679
Ex X6 Collection.

Other syncretic versions of Serapis:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Lucius Verus
year 4, CE 163/4
tetradrachm, 24 mm, 13.51 gm
Obv: ΛAVPHΛI OVHPOCCEB; bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust left
Rev: Radiate and draped bust of Serapis-Pantheos right, wearing calathus and horn of Ammon; trident behind shoulder; ∆/L in right field
Ref: Emmett 2360 (4), R1; Köln 2148; Dattari (Savio) 9420; K&G 39.77


EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
year 5, CE 141/2
AE drachm, 20 gm
Obv: Laureate draped bust of Antoninus Pius right
Rev: Radiate and draped bust of Serapis-Pantheos right, wearing calathus and horn of Ammon; trident and cornucopia behind; L-Є in right field
Ref: Emmett 1676.5, R1



EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian
year 8, CE 123/4
billion tetradrachm, 23 mm, 13.2 gm
Obv: ...TPAI AΔ... ; laureate bust right, slight drapery; crescent before
Rev: draped bust of Serapis-Ammon right; L-H across fields
Ref: Emmett 895.8, R5; Köln 858; Dattari (Savio) 1481; K&G 32.258
From a Hungarian Collection formed primarily in the 1930’s

 

What is the defining characteristic of Serapis? I ask because of this coin, which features a bearded head with no modius, was described as Zeus-Serapis by CNG:


SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos IV Epiphanes. 175-164 BC. Æ (43mm, 71.83 g, 1h). “Egyptianizing” series. Antioch on the Orontes mint. Struck 169-168 BC.
Obv: Laureate head of Zeus-Serapis right, wearing tainia with Osiris crown at tip
Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY ΘEOY EΠIΦANOYΣ (King Antiochos God Manifest); Eagle standing right on thunderbolt.
Refs: SC 1412; HGC 9, 642.
ex-Classical Numismatic Group, e-Auction 426, August 2018, lot 221

The coin is large and heavy! I can't think of a larger or heavier Seleukid coin. It would have been even heavier without the huge hole that the cataloger has described as a "flan flaw"!

 

My ex-Dattari version of the OP coin (officina beta):


And my other favourite Serapis coin, from Caracalla's first issue of the antoninianus (RIC 261d), c. 215 CE. The reverse figure is usually described as Pluto (with Cerberus, of course), but it seems likely that it's intended to be Serapis:

BMCRE (1950) says the reverse figure probably represents “Serapis in his chthonic aspect” (p. ccv):

"Septimius [Caracalla’s father] had paid high honour to the god [Serapis] and had sometimes introduced a special feature of his portraiture — the locks falling over the forehead — into his own portrait. Caracalla now took over and exaggerated his father’s devotion. It was all part of that advance of Eastern cults to full imperial status that had begun at least as early as the reign of Commodus, and of that excessive interest in religion (‘superstitio’ rather than ‘religio’) that marked Caracalla’s later years. The gloomy ‘underworld’ element in the cult of Serapis will have had its special attraction for the sinister young Emperor” (pp. cxcix–cc)."

The first appearance of Serapis on Roman coins occurred during Caracalla’s reign only a few years earlier in 212 CE, and both Serapis and Pluto are shown on the coinage with similar attributes of scepter and polos; another of Pluto’s attributes, the cornucopia, is absent.

 

Oooh that Caracalla... nice coin!

 

As far as I know it is the largest issue and a great price btw as well as your gorgoneion. I would have bid on both had my budget not gone to anonymous issues like the one I posted above.

 

Wow, I didn't know that size existed in the Seleucid series. Cool coin!

As for calling the obverse figure Zeus-Serapis... there is nothing about the portrait to suggest Serapis. I wonder why it is cataloged that way? Maybe there is some other attested similar Seleucid work of art which has contemporaneous documentation of the figure being a syncretism?

 

I misread the OP and thought AncientCoinHunter wanted only heads of Serapis. Here are some heads with bodies attached .


EGYPT, Alexandria. Julia Mamaea
year 13, CE 233/4
tetradrachm, 24 mm, 14.36 gm
Obv: IOVMAMAIACEBMHTECEKCTPA; Draped bust right, wearing stephane
Rev: Serapis enthroned left, holding scepter, extending his right hand toward Cerberus seated at his feet; on throne back, Nike standing right, holding wreath and palm frond; L IΓ (date) to left, palm frond to right
Ref: Emmett 3226.13 (R4); Köln 2540; Dattari (Savio) 4517; K&G 64.119


EGYPT, Antinoöpolis. Antinous
2nd-3rd centuries CE
PB tessera, 25 mm, 7.63 gm, 11h
Obv: draped bust of Antinous right, wearing hem-hem crown; crescent before, AN behind
Rev: Serapis standing right, head left, raising hand and holding scepter; to left, ЄYC/YBA/[...]
Ref: Peus 386 (26 April 2006), lot 759 (same dies); Milne –; Dattari (Savio) –; Köln –

 

Hi @TIF - great Mamaea there, also I'm curious as to what Tesserae were used for - weights and measures? I guess they didn't really circulate as coinage?

 

CT member and CNG staff numismatist @Ardatirion's personal collecting focuses on tesserae. While there is uncertainty, he thinks these lead tesserae of Roman Egypt may have functioned as low denomination currency.

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/tokens-of-roman-egypt.112869/

 

Very interesting article @TIF - also, pretty cool that the local towns issued these. Fortunately I've been to many of these places (Koptos, Antinopolis, Oxyrynchus, Memphis, Tebtunis, and so on) so I can understand the local significance.

 

Probus, Billon tetradrachm

Obv:– A K M AVR PROBOC CEB, Laureate draped bust right
Rev:– None, Bust of Serapis right
Minted in Alexandria Egypt. L - E | _ Year 5. A.D. 279-280
Reference:– Milne 4605. Curtis X-1889, Emmett 3993(5) R4. BMC -. Dattari 5544

6.79 gms

A rare type for Probus



Maximinus II Daia - Follis

Obv:– IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMINVS P F AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:– GENIO AVGVSTI, Genius, naked but for chlamys fastened at his right shoulder and hanging from his left shoulder, standing facing, head left, wearing modius, holding head of Serapis, which faces him, in right hand and ornate cornucopia in left arm behind
Minted in Alexandria (* / N / Branch | B / ALE). A.D. 312-313
Reference:– RIC VI Alexandria 160b



Gordian III, AE29, Odessos

Obv:– ANTWNIOC GORDIANOC, AVT K M below, Confronted draped busts of Gordian & Serapis
Rev:– ODECCEITWN, Emperor in military attire, standing left, holding Victory on globe in right hand, inverted spear in left, right foot resting on prow; E in left field
Minted in Odessos.
References:- Varbanov (Engl.) 4493. AMNG 2362

29.02mm x 27.74mm. 13.44gms

 

Wow, that's quite a run of Serapis' coins. Beautiful
No severed head here but two standing Sera-pieces


Postumus, Antoninianus
IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG, radiate and draped bust right
SERAPI COMITI AVG, Serapis standing left, raising right hand and holding spear
4.3 gr
Ref : RCV # 10992, Cohen # 360



Domitius Domitianus, Octadrachm, Emmett plate coin - Alexandria mint, AD 296-297
ΔOMITI-ANOC CEB, Radiate bust of Domitius right
No legend, Serapis going right, LB in field (regnal year 2)
12.79 gr
Ref : Emmett, Alexandrian coins #4241/2, this example illustrated, Dattari # 10830, RCV # 12982 (2000), Sear # 4801 var (It's actually an hexadrachm in Sear)
Domitius Domitianus, stationed in Egypt, rebelled against Diocletianus in july 296 AD and was proclaimed emperor. He was defeated during spring 297 AD. Diocletian decided to close the alexandrian mint, so the coins of Domitianus are the last provincial coins from Alexandria. Also, Domitianus was the only ruler to strike octadrachms (in parallel with didrachms, tetradrachms and hexadrachms)

Q

 

Found this coin in my old folders. It has Serapis standing and raising his right hand on reverse of a coin which was unusually struck at ANTIOCH under Gallienus.

 

Nice coins. I have a couple Serapis examples, pretty ugly ones:



Egypt Potin Tetradrachm
Julia Mamaea
Year 11 (231/232 A.D.)
Alexandria Mint
[ΙΟ]ΥΛ ΜΑΜΑΙΑ СΕΒ ΜΗΤƐ СƐΒ Κ СΤΡΑ draped bust right with stephane / Sarapis bust right draped and wearing kalathos; date LIA left; palm branch right.
RPC 10456; Dattari 4511.
(11.95 grams / 22 mm)


Maximinus II Æ Follis
(311-313 A.D.)
Alexandria Mint
IMP C GAL VAL MAXIM INVS P F AVG, head right / GENIO AVGVSTI, genius holding Serapis, head, star top left, N left, branch lower left, Δ right, ALE in exergue.
RIC Alex. 160b; Sear 14843.

 

Like the Gordian shown by maridvnvm, Philip II used Serapis on his double portrait coins. This is Marcianopolis.


Caracalla had his mother for the obverse but Serapis made the reverse also from Marcianopolis.