An exotic couple ruling the client kingdom of Commagene

[seth77]

These two are Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Julia Iotape -- brother and sister and husband and wife -- and they ruled the Kingdom of Commagene in north-western Mesopotamia from 38 to ca. 72CE. They were both citizens of Rome by the 30s and their kingdom was offered to them by Caligula in 38. With some interruptions, they ruled it as a late Seleukid monarchy, acting as a buffer zone between Armenia, Rome and Persia. As other client kings and Eastern princes, they were also given land in the Roman Empire proper, in this case in the mountains of Cilicia and in Galatia.

This arrangement worked in a similar way to medieval feudalism -- the princes had limited sovereignty, with full autonomy in internal politics but owed allegiance to Rome externally. They also had coining rights and their coinage follows the Roman coinage in Syria in style and metrics.

In fact this series (Butcher Group IV cf. Coinage in Roman Syria from 64BC to 253AD, 1991 p. 516) is so close stylistically to the late Nero, Otho and Galba SC coinage of Antioch, that it was thought that if not the actual coinage at least the dies were created by the Antiochene mintmasters, around the late 60s to early 70s.
 

ANTIOCHUS IV (38-72)
AE28mm 15.50g orichalcum(?) unit, minted at Samosata, ca. 66-72.
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ·ΜΕΓΑΣ·ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΣ; diademed and draped bust of Antiochos IV, r.
ΚΟΜΜΑΓΗΝΩΝ; scorpion; all in wreath (wreath enclosed in lines)
RPC I 3857; Butcher Group IV 10

 

ANTIOCHUS IV (38-72) for JULIA IOTAPE as Queen of COMMAGENE (38-52)
AE25mm 13.31g orichalcum unit, minted at Samosata, ca. 66-72.
ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑ ΙΩΤΑΠΗ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟΣ; diademed, jeweled and draped bust of Iotape, r.; countermark on neck (crossed cornucopiae?)
ΚΟΜΜΑΓΗΝΩΝ; scorpion; all in wreath (wreath enclosed in lines)
RPC I 3858; Butcher Group IV 11; Howgego 403? (countermark)

 

These were probably intended to work at parity with the coinage of Antioch properly and starting with the reign of Vespasian in 69, a series of countermarks were added on these coins, probably with the intent to set them apart as legal tender after a tax had been levied on their use. The countermarking starts during the reign of Antiochus as the early ones have an anchor flanked by A - N and continues likely after 72, when Vespasian disbanded the kingdom and incorporated Commagene into the Roman Empire once more. Some countermarks, like the double cornucopiae might have been added by Callinicus and Epiphanes (the sons of Antiochus) during their brief positioning to resist the orders of Vespasian in 72. In fact Antiochus and his sons surrendered eventually to Vespasian and were allowed to live in luxury at Rome as part of the Roman aristocracy.

This coinage was likely in use for some time after 72 and some countermarks added at this point were in fact meant to make sure that the coin is tariffed as a Roman dupondius.

 

From the latest very eclectic order, which included:

- a small Seleukid from Ake-Ptolemais
- these two AEs of Commagene
- two 'provincial' AEs from Serdica and Anchialus
- a Severus Alexander from Hierapolis during his campaign East
- a small Cyzicus pseudo-autonomous with a nice amphora or krateros on reverse
- a terrific billon denier tournois of the Catalan Company in Attikoboiotia

Edited February 13, 2023 by seth77

[seth77]

Very happy to add another Julia Iotape, this time in clear yellow orichalcum and nice smooth wear:



- nice and heavy at 26mm 14.29g
- no countermark
- portrait with the plain band diadem seems to be from the earlier issues
- likely also from the 60s
- Group II-III(?) cf. Butcher
 

[PeteB]

Mine:

KINGS of COMMAGENE. Antiochos IV Epiphanes. AD 38-72. Æ (28mm, 14.33 gm, 1h). Obv: BAΣIΛEYΣ • MEΓΑΣ • ANTIOXOΣ, diademed and draped bust right Countermark: crossed cornucopias. Rev: ΚΟΜΜΑΓΗΝΩΝ, Scorpion within wreath. RPC I 3857

[Roman Collector]

I have one of these. The scorpion on the reverse was flattened during the countermarking process on the obverse.


Julia Iotape, Queen of Commagene AD 38 - 72
AE diassarion, 23.4 mm, 13.64 g, 12 h
Syria, Commagene, Samosata mint
Obv: ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑ ΙΩΤΑΠΗ ΦΙΛΑ∆ΕΛΦΟΣ, diademed and draped bust of Iotape, right; countermark: anchor?
Rev: ΚΟΜΜΑΓ−ΗИΩИ, scorpion and inscription all within laurel wreath
Refs: Lindgren-Kovacs 1887; RPC I 3858; BMC Galatia p. 109, 4; Nercessian AC --; SNG Cop VII 5; similar to Sear GIC 5514 (which has lunate sigmas in the inscription).

Here's the countermark if anyone has a clue what it is.

[seth77]

2 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

I have one of these. The scorpion on the reverse was flattened during the countermarking process on the obverse.


Julia Iotape, Queen of Commagene AD 38 - 72
AE diassarion, 23.4 mm, 13.64 g, 12 h
Syria, Commagene, Samosata mint
Obv: ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑ ΙΩΤΑΠΗ ΦΙΛΑ∆ΕΛΦΟΣ, diademed and draped bust of Iotape, right; countermark: anchor?
Rev: ΚΟΜΜΑΓ−ΗИΩИ, scorpion and inscription all within laurel wreath
Refs: Lindgren-Kovacs 1887; RPC I 3858; BMC Galatia p. 109, 4; Nercessian AC --; SNG Cop VII 5; similar to Sear GIC 5514 (which has lunate sigmas in the inscription).

Here's the countermark if anyone has a clue what it is.

It is probably the anchor flanked by A - N countermark, see here for more: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/countermark/493

[seth77]

In the OP I mentioned the fact that the client king had limited sovereignty, with full autonomy in internal politics but owed allegiance to Rome externally. He also had coining rights outside Commagene and his coinage follows the Roman coinage in Syria in style and metrics.

One of the mints that struck these 'Syrian' coins was Anemurium in Cilicia Trachaea, an area completely separated from Commagene, a town that was given to Antiochus in 38 by Caligula. The coins minted here for Antiochus are very 'Hellenistic' in appearance and rather scarce, so I'm really glad I could win one:

AE26mm 11.69g orichalcum dupondius(?) minted ca. 48-9.
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ·ΜΕΓΑΣ·ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΗΣ; diademed and draped bust of Antiochos IV, r.
ΑΝ[ΕΜΟΥΡΙΕΩΝ] - [L ΙΒ] (in field); Artemis standing, right, with bow, and drawing arrow from quiver.
RPC I 3705;

 

The local coinage of Anemurium starts with these issues for the Roman client king of Commagene, who received the town together with other territories in Cilicia Trachaea and Lycaonia.

'Antiochus received territory in Cilicia Tracheia and Lycaonia, separated from Commagene by Cilicia Pedias. Dio (59.8.2) tells us that he was given [....] and his rule seems to have extended along the coast from Elaeussa to the border of Pamphylia; he minted coins for Anemurium, Celenderis, Corycus, Sebaste and Selinus. His possessions in the interior of Cilicia Tracheia cannot be determined.' (A..A. Barrett - Sohaemus, King of Emesa and Sophene, The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 98, No. 2 (Summer, 1977), pp. 153-159 (7 pages) p. 157).

It's interesting for a client king to be given territories outside his nominal kingdom, but Antiochus was not a singular case, as remarked by A.A. Barrett with Sohaemus and others (pp. 157-8).

This coinage was struck on beveled flans, similar to the early coinage of Samosata in Commagene proper, possibly as part of an operation by mint-masters from Antioch.

Edited March 8 by seth77

[Amarmur]

Here is mine. It was identified by members on this fourum. Antiochus's wife sits on the reverse. An interesting coin from his rule in Cilicia.