Provincial Roman Coins
This page and the links from it concentrate on the Provincial Roman coins of Elagabalus, however there are links to some of the other Emperors.
These are my coins of Elagabalus other than the ones from Markianopolis, Nicopolis ad Istrum, or Odessus (all in Moesia Inferior) or his Roman Imperial coins. More information concerning Elagabalus and provincial coins in general is also found on the Markianopolis page.
Note: I have tried very hard to verify everything on this website, especially the information having to do with the coins of Elagabalus, including references and would like for them to be both complete and correct. However, it is still a learning process for me. As I get new reference materials and as I review the coins, I have found that I've had to update my pages many times. Provincial coins can be quite challenging, which is part of what draws them to me, however there isn't a complete and authoritative reference for them. If you see any issues with the coins that I have posted, whether to their authenticity or to any other information I have on the site, please contact me. You can do so either through the Yahoo! Groups or through my gmail email address which can be found via the url of my pages. I don't post it directly due to spammers. Thank you to anybody and everybody who have helped me along the way.
Most of the Roman Provincial coins used Greek letters in some parts of the legend. Moneta from http://www.numus.com ((Unfortunately, they no longer exist and no longer support the program, but I haven't found anything better so I'm still using it.)) has a font that allows me to type the legends using both Greek and Latin letters, however this web page doesn't support embedded fonts. If you download and install the Numus Moneta font (subject to their limitations found on their page) you can see the Greek letters properly. I definitely suggest downloading the font. If you are a collector, I strongly suggest purchasing the software itself. After the legend using that font, I will place duplicate legend using the following common substitutions: large L is a lambda, small w is an omega, small p for pi, small e for epsilon, small d for delta, small g for gamma, small f for phi, small x for xi. A great page that shows what the letters look like on actual coins is at snible.
Cities that I have more than one coin from now have their own page. You can access that page by clicking on the city name.
Thrace:
Philippopolis, Thrace 42° 08' N, +24° 45' E, one of the oldest cities of Europe and is the second largest city in Bulgaria, now knows as Plovdiv (wikipedia) Google Satellite map of where Plovdiv is in Bulgaria. Moushmov's page on Philippopolis.
Obverse: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑVΡ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC (AVT K M AVP ANTwNINOC) (Avt k m avp antVninoc) head right.
Reverse: ΠEΡINΘIΩN ΔIC NEΩKOΡΩN (pEPINqIwN dIC NEwKOPwN) (PepinUiVn Dic neVkopVn) Prize urn with two palms. The diameter is 18.5 mm and is 2.85 g, die axis 45 deg. Reference: Not in Moushmov, not in BMC, SNG Rhigetti 301, "possibly unpublished" (though did not list letters underneath
Bithynia:
Nicaea, Bithynia 40° 27' N, 29° 43' E, a city in Turkey at the eastern end of the Ascanian Lake, primarily known from as a meeting place in the early Christian church. (wikipedia). It is currently known as İznik, Turkey. Google satellite map
Syria:
Raphanea, Seleucis and Pieria, Syria. 32° 54' N, +36° 10' E Seleucis and Pieria was a district of northwest Syria, bordering the Mediterranean, just north of Phoenicia. Raphanea (Rafniyeh) (google satellite map) was southwest of Epiphaneia (Hamah) Google satellite map of where Hamah is.
Antioch (Antiochia ad Orontem), Seleucis and Piera, Syria 36° 12'N, +36° 10'E the ancient capitol of the Greek kingdom of Syria located on the eastern side of the Orontes River , about 20 miles from the mouth. Under the Romans, it was an early center of Christianity. (wikipedia). Its ruins are located in Antakya, Turkey. Google satellite map of where Antakya is in Turkey.
Laodicea ad Mare, Seleucis andPiera, Syria. 35° 31'N, +35° 47'E The ancient port of Antioch, Syria. It is currently called Latakia or Latakiyah and is the principle port city of Syria. (wikipedia) (google satellite map)
Seleucia Pieria, Seleucis and Piera, Syria. 36° 07' N, 35° 55' E. (wikipedia) Seleucia Pieria was built by Seleucus I Nicator in ca. 300 BC. It lay near the mouth of the Orontes not far from Mount Casius, and functioned as the commercial and naval seaport of Antioch on the Orontes (now Antakya). It was free through the Roman occupation and it had long enjoyed the right of coinage.
NOTE: There was originally confusion over several coins as to whether they came from Seleucia Pieria (the city), Seleucis and Piera (the region), Syria or from Seleucis and Piera (the region), Syria and minted at a different city. All appear to have come from Seleucis and Piera (the region), Syria, specifically from Antioch (Antiochia ad Orontem), Seleucis and Piera (the region), Syria. I am leaving this section up for clarity if others have the same issue. According to Butcher's book, the weights listed for local coinage are 12.52g, 6.09g, 3.79g and of 'Antioch' coinage was 16.43g. Also the 3 reverse types of local coinage are: Thunderbolt on draped throne..., Tetrastyle shrine..., and Bust of city goddess... in distyle shrine with pointed roof... The 3 reverse types of 'Antioch' coinage are Thunderbolt on draped throne..., Tetrastyle shrine..., and Baetyl on stepped plinth. None of the coins fit these specifications and did fit with Antioch's coinage.
Emisa (Emesa), Seleucis and Piera, Syria 34° 44' N, 36° 43' E. (wikipedia) Emesa was a Roman fortified town that had a temple to the Syrian god El Gebal (Aramaic), also called Elagabalus (Latin) and Heliogabalus (Greek). Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Elagabalus) was the high priest before becoming Emperor and took his unofficial name from his god that he worshipped. Emesa was located on the Orontes river and dates back to about 2300 BC. It's current name is Homs and is located in Syria. Google satellite map
Obverse: Laureate and draped bust right.
Reverse: MHTΡO KOΛ EMICΩN around, HΛIA above, ΠVΘIA below (MHTPOKOLEMICwn HLIA pVtIA) (MHTROkoLemicVn HLia PvUia) Agonistic urn with two palms. The diameter is 23 mm and is 6.09 g, die axis 190 deg. Celebrating the Pythian Games. Reference: Sear GIC3099v (different reverse), BMC 240, 21v (different obverse), SNG Bern 2091.
Macedonia:
Thessalonika (Thessalonica), Macedonia 40° 38' N, 22° 58' E, It was founded about 315 BC by Cassander, the King of Macedonia and named after Thessalonica, his wife and the sister of Alexander the Great. (wikipedia) It became a city of the Roman Empire in 168 BC after the fall of the kingdom of Macedon. It is currently the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia (wikipedia). Google satellite map
Obverse: ΑV Κ Μ ΑVΡ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC (AV K M AVP ANTwNINOC) (Av k m avp antVninoc) Bust of Elagabalus right, Laureate, wearing cuirass and paludamentum.
Reverse: ΘECCAΛONIKЄΩN (qECCALONIKewN) (UeccaLonik¥Vn) Nike (Victory) advancing, holding kabir and palm. The diameter is 25 mm and is 11.77 g, die axis 180 deg. Reference: Moush-6769, Sear GIC 3036. BMC Macedonia p.122, 103, not in AMNG 3.2.
Obverse: M AVREL ANTONINVS Laureate bust of Caracalla right.
Reverse: MVNICIP STOBENS Nike advancing holding wreath and palm. The diameter is 25 mm and is 11.77 g, die axis 170 deg. Note: This is possibly/probably Caracalla. If Elagabalus, Moushmov 6567. If Caracalla, Moushmov 6553. I found information on www.forumancientcoins.com stating that "According to Josifovski, there are no coins of Elagabal from Stobi, so somebody probably confused young Caracalla with Elagabal again." This reference is Rimskata monetarnica ov Stobi = Roman mint of Stobi by Pero Josifovski. The reason I listed a coin of Caracalla on a page dedicated to Elagabalus is that there are many references to coins of Elagabalus at Stobi including Moushmov and if Josifovski is correct, those are in error.
Phoenicia:
Tyre, Phoenicia. 33° 16' N, 35° 12' E. (wikipedia) Tyre was founded around 2700 BC and was known for its merchants and traders. It was allowed to remain free when the surrounding area became a Roman province in 64 BC. Google satellite map
Troas:
Obverse: IM C M AV ANTONINVS AVG Laureate bust right.
Reverse: COL ALEX AVG Wolf suckling Romulus and Remus. The diameter is 23 mm and is 8.22 g, die axis 210 deg. Reference: Bellinger A316, Obverse legend found in Klassische antike Stätten Anatoliens. 2 Bände. By Gernot Lang.
Judea:
Obverse: Laureate bust right.
Reverse: Wolf suckling Romulus and Remus. The diameter is 28 mm and is 16.59 g, die axis 0 deg. Reference: cf. Meshorer 117. Certificate of Authenticity from David Hendin.
A page with several provincial Roman Coins of other Emperors.
My Collage page of Provincial Roman Coins (with the exception of Markianopolis)
Continue on to my Roman Imperial coins of Elagabalus
Continue to my Elagabalus' coins of Markianopolis.
Continue to my Elagabalus' coins of Nicopolis ad Istrum.
Continue to my Elagabalus' coins of Odessus.
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