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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;TIF, post: 3121014, member: 56859&quot;]The theory I&#039;ve seen tossed about-- one that makes sense to me-- is that the star represents El Gabal, the Syrian Sun God.&nbsp; Elagabalus was the High Priest of El Gabal and the reverse scene depicts a sacrifice to his god.&nbsp; Wouldn&#039;t the priest be facing the god, or the representation of the god?&nbsp; Coins with the star behind him were mistakes by a Roman engraver unfamiliar with the Syrian god and on some such coins, the error was smoothed out of the die (as is the case with the Breitsprecher coin; this causes a bump on the flan) and re-engraved in the correct location.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are instances in which a star is in both fields, so with this theory I guess the engraver decided to just leave the mistake and add another.&nbsp; Someone showed a great example of a two-star coin recently but I can&#039;t find it.&nbsp;&nbsp; There are also coins on which the star is behind him (<a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-ghost-of-elagabalus.317728/#post-3099934" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-ghost-of-elagabalus.317728/#post-3099934">see this example from Sevvy</a>).&nbsp; Both appear to be much less common that the star in front.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have one in which the star was engraved behind the emperor and then changed, or abandoned partway through the engraving of the star.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/elagabalussacrificing-reflectiontemplate-jpg.454952/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>Elagabalus</b></p><p>AR denarius, Rome mint. Struck CE 221-222. 3.55 gm</p><p>Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; laureate and draped bust right, with “horn” on forehead</p><p>Rev: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB; Elagabalus standing right, holding club and sacrificing from patera over lighted altar; star to right; faint star in left field</p><p>Ref: RIC IV 131; Thirion 302; RSC 246[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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