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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;David Atherton, post: 7976587, member: 82616&quot;]I didn&#039;t pay too terribly much for this latest one, about the price of a decent meal out on the town.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1384325[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Vespasian</b></p><p>Æ Diobol, 7.57g</p><p>Alexandria mint, 70-71 AD</p><p>Obv: ΑΥΤΟΚ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒΑ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝΟΥ; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.</p><p>Rev: Date LΓ; Bust of Sarapis, r.</p><p>RPC 2429 (13 spec.). Emmett 218.1. Dattari-Savio 398.</p><p>Acquired from Marc Breitsprecher, October 2021.</p><p><br /></p><p>The cult of Sarapis gained importance during the Flavian dynasty because of Vespasian&#039;s vital connection to Egypt during the Civil War. Alexandria was the first city to declare for him in July 69 and in November he arrived there to await the outcome of the war and to secure the grain supply to Rome. According to both Tacitus and Suetonius during Vespasian&#039;s sojourn in Alexandria he paid a visit to the temple of Sarapis alone to consult the god about the chances of success in his bid for the empire. After receiving a positive sign he was able to administer healing miracles to the local Alexandrians. Of course, all this was later Flavian propaganda intended to bolster Vespasian&#039;s claim to the purple. It then should come as no surprise that Sarapis figured importantly on the local coinage under Vespasian, being commonly struck on the bronze diobol. </p><p><br /></p><p>Please post your bargains![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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