Saturday, February 05, 2005
Æ antoninianus, Gallienus, Rome, Göbl 718z
IMP GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate head right | APOLLINI CONS AVG, Gryphon walking left. Δ in exergue.
As I mentioned on Thursday, this version with the longer, presumably earlier, obverse legend is more often seen. It'd be nice, then, if I had a better example so you could actually read that legend, but we make do.
Friday, February 04, 2005
Æ27, Apollonia Salbace in Caria, Gallienus, unknown
[A]VTOKP KAI ΠO[Π ΛI] ΓAΛΛIH / NOC, Laureate draped cuirassed bust right, large B before | AΠ[O]ΛΛΩ[NIATΩN ?], Tyche standing facing, head left, holding cornucopia right and rudder on globe left.
This one has seen rough use over the years, including having a hole drilled in it, presumably so it could be worn as jewelry. I don't find it in any of the catalogs I own, but the seller noted that the obverse die is seen, with another reverse, as SNG von Aulock 2494.
It's interesting that the obverse seems to be an inexpert attempt to copy those of their close neighbor, Tabae.
Ruins still exist at Apollonia Salbace, as they do on the other side of the mountain, at Herakleia Salbace.
If that hole drilled through the coin was to allow it to be worn suspended on a string, neither side would have hung very straight. I'm not sure why the placement was chosen, but it does avoid actually piercing the portrait of Gallienus or the figure of Tyche.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Æ antoninianus, Gallienus, Rome, Göbl 718b
GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate head right | APOLLINI CONS AVG, Gryphon walking left. Δ in exergue.
This is more commonly seen with an IMP GALLIENVS AVG obverse, presumably an immediately earlier issue. A good review of this reverse can be found here, which is a part of an excellent series of pages on the "zoo series" here.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Æ18, Antiochia ad Orontem in Syria, Diadumenian, Sear GIC 3017
KAI M O ΔI ANTΩNINOC CE, Draped bust right | ·Δ· / S*C / ·E· all within laurel wreath
Marcus Opellius Antoninus Diadumenianus was the son of Macrinus. He was raised to the office of Caesar by his father in 217, and again to emperor the next year.
The Severans, who'd lost power with the death of Caracalla, conspired with Syrian legions, who moved against Macrinus and Diadumenian, championing the cause of Elagabalus, with great success. Macrinus and Diadumenian were defeated and killed in June 218.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Æ28, Metropolis in Ionia, Salonina, SNG von Aulock 2076...
var...(rev. legend)
CAΛΩN XPV COPNH CE, Diademed draped bust right | EΠ CT OVA NEIKIA MHTPO / ΠO[ΛEI]TΩ / N, Armed hero left, leaning on spear and Boule right, holding scepter, facing and joining hands.
This was a common reverse at Metropolis, a city about which I've been able to learn little. It was located between Ephesus and Smyrna, but searching for the name produces quite a few false hits. (I begin to suspect that Metropolis may not really have been worthy of the description "metropolis".)
CAΛΩN XPV COPNH CE, Diademed draped bust right | EΠ CT OVA NEIKIA MHTPO / ΠO[ΛEI]TΩ / N, Armed hero left, leaning on spear and Boule right, holding scepter, facing and joining hands.
This was a common reverse at Metropolis, a city about which I've been able to learn little. It was located between Ephesus and Smyrna, but searching for the name produces quite a few false hits. (I begin to suspect that Metropolis may not really have been worthy of the description "metropolis".)
Monday, January 31, 2005
Billon antoninianus, Gallienus, Rome, Göbl 109l
IMP GALLIENVS P F AVG GERM, Radiate cuirassed bust right | ORIENS AVGG, Sol standing facing, head left, holding a whip right and raising his hand left.
It hasn't been a week for acquiring the most exciting coins, particularly in the imperial coins, so we must make our own fun.
This obverse legend was used for only a short time. GERM here is short for Germanicus, for victories against Germanic tribes by the armies of Gallienus. The reverse, though, celebrates claims of success in the East by Gallienus's father, Valerian. During their joint reign reverses were often, but not always, shared.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Æ23, Perga in Pamphylia, Gallienus, SNG PFPS-435
AV•K•ΠOV•ΛIK•ΓAΛΛIH[...], Radiate draped cuirassed bust right | ΠEP_ΓAI_ΩN, Chest with three purses.
Back in December I posted a more-commonly seen 30mm coin quite similar to this, but they exist in this smaller module, too. They seem to be showing prizes for winners of a competition, apparently so well known that they felt no need to include its name on the coin.
