Faustina Friday – This Æ 20 of Pisidian Antioch is Now the Exemplar at RPC

[Roman Collector]

Friday felicitations, fellow Faustina fanatics! I hope you have a coin-filled weekend. Today we'll talk a little about Antioch in Pisidia and a small bronze the city minted for Faustina the Younger after her death in autumn, 175 CE. RPC had no coins to illustrate the type, so I submitted my coin as an example and it's now the exemplar at the site!

Diva Faustina II, 147-175 CE.
Roman provincial Æ 19.6 mm, 3.90 g, 7 h.
Pisidia, Antioch, c. 176 CE.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: COLONIAE ANTIOCHEAE, winged caduceus between crossed cornuacopiae.
Refs: RPC IV.3, 7371 (temporary; this coin pictured); Krzyżanowska 143, pl. 6, table 12.I.1.

About Antioch in Pisidia

Pisidian Antioch was one of many cities named Antioch founded by Seleucus I (312-280 BCE) or his son Antiochus I (280-261 BCE). It was not truly in Pisidia, which was the mountainous region separating Pamphylia from Phrygia to the north. Antioch, strictly speaking, stood in the eastern part of Phrygia, which was later incorporated into the Roman province of Galatia. The geographer Strabo, writing in the early years of Tiberius's reign, named the city Antioch towards Pisidia, to distinguish it from another Antioch on the Meander River in Caria.[1]

From "Asia citerior," Auctore Henrico Kiepert Berolinensi. Geographische Verlagshandlung Dietrich Reimer (Ernst Vohsen) Berlin, Wilhemlstr. 29. (1903). David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.

Scanty ruins of the city lie approximately 1 km northeast of Yalvaç. The ruins include some arches of an aqueduct that brought in water from the snow-capped mountains to the east, the walls of the city, a theater, a temple to Augustus, and a temple to the Anatolian god, Mên, the god of the indigenous Phrygian people.[2]

Ancient temple ruins at Antioch of Pisidia, near modern Yalvaç, Turkey. © Valery Shanin/Shutterstock.com (Photo from Encyclopædia Brittanica).

According to Strabo[3], colonists from Magnesia on the Maeander were brought in by the Seleucids to found the city. In 39 BCE, Marc Antony gave the colony, its surrounding territory, and the whole of Pisidia to Amyntas, the king of Galatia. But when Amyntas was killed in 25 BCE fighting an incursion by indigenous Homonadesians from the mountains, the whole kingdom passed to the Romans and became the province of Galatia.[4]

As Antioch was situated on the strategically important road from Ephesus to Syria, Augustus founded a Roman colony there in about 20 BCE, bringing to the city veterans of the Skylark (Alauda) legion.[5] The colony was honored with the title of Caesarea and given the right of the Ius Italicum.[6]

Coinage began under Augustus in the tens BCE,[7] but no more coins were issued by the city until the reign of Nero (see, for example, RPC I, 3532).[8] Coins from the reign of Antoninus Pius onward were in production more or less continuously through the reign of Claudius II.[9]

About the Obverse

The most striking thing about the obverse is its inscription, DIVA FAVSTINA. This indicates the coin was issued posthumously for the empress. Posthumous issues are unusual among Roman provincial (Greek Imperial) coins. As David Sear notes, "Posthumous types are rarely encountered in the Greek Imperial series, other than the issues for Divus Augustus."[10] However, no other types – lifetime or otherwise – are known to have been issued for Faustina the Younger.

About the Reverse Type

This coin depicts a caduceus between two crossed cornuacopiae. This reverse type first appears on coins of the city minted during the reign of Antoninus Pius and this reverse design was used on coins issued for Diva Faustina the Elder (RPC IV.3, 7336 and 7337 (temporary)). Subsequently, the design was used on coins of the city at various times up through the reign of Philip I. Therefore, it can hardly be considered unique to Faustina the Younger, or even the Antonines, but as a symbol of the city. Coins of the city struck for Trajan Decius (RPC IX, 1245 and 1246) depict a goddess wearing a kalathos and holding a caduceus and cornucopiae. The editors of RPC identify her as Felicitas, but earlier numismatists identified her as Pax or Tyche.[11] Perhaps it's best to identify her simply as a city goddess, her attributes being the two symbols of the city: the caduceus and cornucopiae.

Do you have any coins of Pisidian Antioch? Let's see them! As always, please post comments, coins, and anything you feel is relevant!

~~~

Notes

1. Lewis, Peter, and Ron Bolden. The Pocket Guide to Saint Paul: Coins Encountered by the Apostle on His Travels. Wakefield Press, Australia, 2002, p. 64.

2. Ibid, p. 64. This temple, with its cult image of Mên, is depicted on coin of Gordian III, RPC VII.2, — (unassigned; ID 3501).

3. Strabo xii. 577, cited by Hill, G.F. Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia. Trustees of the British Museum, 1897, p. cxii.

4. "Antioch of Pisidia." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 July 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioch_of_Pisidia.

5. Lewis & Bolden, op. cit., p. 65.

6. Hill, G.F. Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia. Trustees of the British Museum, 1897, p. cxii.

7. Butcher, Kevin. Roman Provincial Coins: an Introduction to the Greek Imperials. Vol. 1, Seaby, 1988, p. 541.

8. Lewis & Bolden, op. cit., p. 66.

9. Hill, op. cit., pp. 177-201.

10. Sear, David R. Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values: The Local Coinages of the Roman Empire. Seaby, 1991, s.v. no. 2129, p. 201.

11. Hill, op. cit., p. cxii.

[LONGINUS]

 

Great post, @Roman Collector!

I continue to confuse the Antiochs occasionally.

 

[ambr0zie]

Congratulations in obtaining a plate coin. I like that feeling. 

I have a few coins from Pisidian Antioch. First was this coin where the ruler is uncertain 

Pisidia. Antioch. Volusian 251-253 AD. Ӕ.
IMP CAE RASLLOVNAHNIR, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Volusian right, seen from behind / ANTIOC- H- IOCLA [R], aquila between two legionary standards.
SNG France 1294; SNG Copenhagen 85; BMC 135.
OR
Valerian I, 253-260. IMP CAE R ASLL OVAΛHIIR, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / ANTIOC_H_IOCEA, legionary eagle between two standards surmounted by wreaths. S | R across fields. BMC Lycia 130, p.199.

In this period, the Antioch in Pisidia mint produced coins with blundered legends and sometimes the emperor is impossible to be determined. https://www.beastcoins.com/RomanProvincial/Pisidia-Antioch/Pisidia-Antioch.htm Note from Curtis Clay: According to Krzyzanowska, BM 130 and 134-5 are all from the same obverse die as your coin. The legend made no sense to the BM cataloguer G. F. Hill, and he misattributed them to Volusian. Krzyzanowska seems to be right that Valerian was meant. Compare (your coin) to the legend on her obverse VI which seems surely to mean Valerian - IMP CAE R ASLL OVAΛEHIR.
https://www.beastcoins.com/RomanProvincial/Pisidia-Antioch/Pisidia-Antioch.htm

 

A coin from the great emperor CAE RASLLOVNAHNIR. As mentioned in the notes, in the middle of the 3rd century the engravers believed that being literate is overrated. 

 

i also have a Commodus, with a beautiful patina.

23 mm, 5,21 g.
Pisidia, Antioch. Commodus 180-192. Ӕ.
ANTONINVS COMMODVS, laureate-headed bust of Commodus wearing cuirass and paludamentum, l. / COLON(E)IAE ANTIOCH(AE?), Mên standing with foot on bucranium, facing, head, r., wearing Phrygian cap, holding long sceptre and Victoria/Nike; behind his shoulders, crescent; to l., cock standing, l.
RPC IV.3, 7377 (temporary); Krzyżanowska 144, V.6–7 and VI.7–9 and VII.9; Cop 26 corr.

And a Julia Domna 

[Marsyas Mike]

Congratulations on the prestigious exemplar, @Roman Collector.  I have two from Antioch in Pisidia:

This is an ugly one for Septimius Severus:

Septimius Severus  Æ 21 (c. 193-211 A.D.) Pisidia. Antioch  [L SEPT SE]V PER[T AVG IMP], radiate head right / ANT[IOCH F]ORT[VNA CO]LON, Tyche standing left, holding branch and cornucopiae. SNG France 1120; Mionnet Supp. 7, 30. (3.68 grams / 21 mm) eBay Dec. 2019 

Here's my blundered legend type like the @ambr0zie example above:

Valerian I  Æ 21 (c. 253-260 A.D.) Pisidia, Antioch  IMP CAERAS LL OVNAHHIR, radiate, draped & cuir. bust right / ANTIO-OCHIOC, vexillum surmounted by eagle between two standards, S R in exergue. Krzyzanowska pl. XLVIII, VII  and 31; Lindgren I 1250 var.; (5.44 grams / 21 x 20 mm) eBay Nov. 2021 

"Note from Curtis Clay: According to Krzyzanowska, BM 130 and 134-5 are all from the same obverse die...The legend made no sense to the BM cataloguer G. F. Hill, and he misattributed them to Volusian. Krzyzanowska seems to be right that Valerian was meant." www.beastcoins.com  

 

[Al Kowsky]

Unless you're familiar with the issues it can be confusing 🤔. The label on this NGC slab gives no indication which Antioch you're looking at, although it's Antioch, Syria ☺️.

 

[Sulla80]

@Roman Collector Congratulations on the Faustina II rarity and new RPC online plate coin!  This coin was attributed to Volusian by British Museum cataloger G. F. Hill, however the bungled legends were better linked with Valerian by Barbara Levick in 1966. This mint clearly had quite a few illiterate die makers. Her quick test: "if the legend contains the element SS it should be assigned to Volusian, while if it begins IMPCPLIC or IMPCAE is should be assigned to Valerian".  Aemilianus, commander of the Moesian troops, defeated Trebonnianus Gallus and became emperor for 3 months before he was killed by his own troops after Valerian, governor of the Rhine provinces, declared himself emperor.

Pisidia, Antiochia, Valerian I. AD 253-260. Æ (22mm, 4.58g).

Obv: IMP CAERAS LL OVALERIC (sic) Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind

Rev: ANTIO - HIOCIA, vexillum surmounted by eagle between signa, each surmounted by wreath; S R across field.

Notes: these coins were struck by towns on the route to and from the eastern frontier. The SR possibly linked in Senatus Romano (abbreviating SPQR)

Edited September 16, 2023 by Sulla80

[Sulla80]

I was reminded of this post again when I discovered that this coin from Nakrasa (located to the west of Pisidian Antioch, Lydia) is also an RPC Plate coin.

Everything I can find so far on Nakrasa can be found here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/nakrasa-lydia

Roman Provincial, Lydia, Nakrasa, Hadrian (AD 117-138), Bronze Æ (19mm, 3.63g, 12h)
Obv: ΑΥΤΟ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ, laureate and cuirassed bust of Hadrian, right
Rev:  ΝΑΚΡΑϹΙΤΩΝ, Tyche standing left, wearing kalathos, holding rudder in right hand, cornucopia in left
Ref: RPC 1805  (example #7 this coin - added post publication)

Edited September 22, 2023 by Sulla80

[Roman Collector]

24 minutes ago, Sulla80 said:

I was reminded of this post again when I discovered that this coin from Nakrasa (located to the west of Pisidian Antioch, Lydia) is also an RPC Plate coin.

Everything I can find so far on Nakrasa can be found here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/nakrasa-lydia

Roman Provincial, Lydia, Nakrasa, Hadrian (AD 117-138), Bronze Æ (19mm, 3.63g, 12h)
Obv: ΑΥΤΟ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ, laureate and cuirassed bust of Hadrian, right
Rev:  ΝΑΚΡΑϹΙΤΩΝ, Tyche standing left, wearing kalathos, holding rudder in right hand, cornucopia in left
Ref: RPC 1805  (example #7 this coin - added post publication)

Nice coin and nice bibliography in your blog post. I have only a single coin of Nacrasa, which I wrote about in an installment of Faustina Friday nearly three years ago.

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman provincial Æ 17.2 mm, 3.73 g, 6 h.
Lydia, Nacrasa, likely issued under Strategos Milon, AD 161-163.
Obv: ΦΑVϹΤΕΙ-ΝΑ ϹЄΒΑ, bare-headed and draped bust of Faustina, right.
Rev: ΝΑΚΡ-ΑϹЄ-ΩΝ, tetrastyle temple enclosing statue of Artemis standing left, holding bow, drawing arrow from quiver at shoulder.
Refs: BMC 22.169, 26; RPC IV.2 1353 temp; Imhoff-Blumer LS 106 no. 5.