Beschreibung
Erhaltung: ss à f / ss | Abkürzungen
Katalognummer: Cohen 61 | RIC 88 | BMC 212 | Sear 7518
Durchmesser: 18,00 mm
weight 2,57gr. | silver Ø 18mm.
obv. Draped and laureate bust of Elagabalus right,
surrounded by the legend IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
rev. Elagabalus, in Syrian priestly robes, standing left,
sacrificing out of patera in right hand over tripod, holding upright
cypress branch in left hand behind tripod, bull lying down in field,
starr, surrounded by the legend INVICTVS SACERDOS AVG
This denarius, minted between during the years 221 and 222 AD, depicts on the obverse the head of Elagabalus and on the reverse the emperor offering a sacrifice. The inscription on the obverse refers to the emperor as imperator, or commander in chief of the army, Antoninus, Pius, and Augustus. The name Antoninus associated the emperor with his predecessor Caracalla of whom he pretended to be an illegitimate son. The inscription on the reverse refers to the emperor as invictus sacerdos Augustus or the invincible imperial priest. The reverse depicts the emperor, holding a patera with his right hand and a club with his left hand. The emperor is depicted as dressed in a long tunic which has been usually interpreted as being of eastern origin a fact which would comfort Cassius Dios narrative when he writes that Elagabalus was frequently seen in public clad in the barbaric dress ( /ten esthêta ten barbarikên) which the Syrian priests use (see Cassius Dio, Roman History LXXX.11).
Cohen 61 | RIC 88 | BMC 212 | Sear 7518
minor traces of oxidation
vf à f/vf
