96 / 184
1240
Julia Domna. Silver Denarius (2.96 g), Augusta, AD 193-217. Rome, under Caracalla, AD 211-215. IVLIA
PIA FELIX AVG, draped bust of Julia Domna right. Rev. LVNA LVCIFERA, Luna driving galloping biga
left. (RIC 379c; BMC 10; RSC 105). Extremely fine.
$ 250
1241
Caracalla. Silver Tetradrachm (11.94 g), AD 198-217. Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), AD 215-217. AVT KAI
ANTW-NINOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right. Rev.
DHMARC E
-
X
V
PATO
C
T D
, eagle standing facing on thyrsos without fillets, head and tail left, holding wreath in beak; between legs,
vine leaf. (cf. Meshorer 95 (filleted thrsos); cf. Prieur 1617 (same)).
Rare and unrecorded in the standard references
without the fillet on the thyrsos.
Choice very fine.
$ 1,500
ex CNG 99 (13 May 2015), lot 504
.
Part of a much larger series of Syrian tetradrachms intended primarily to fund Caracalla’s disastrous Parthian campaign (AD 216-
217), this issue of Aelia Capitolina is notable for its potentially crypto-Jewish mintmark. Although Aelia Capitolina was refounded
on the ruins of Jerusalem by Hadrian in an attempt to defile and blot out the holy city of the Jews in ca. AD 132, the thyrsos symbol
on this coin may refer to the original deity worshipped in Jerusalem before the city was destroyed and paganized, since the Jewish
God was frequently identified by Greeks with Dionysos going back at least to the second century BC. Thus it would seem that even
as a pagan center, Aelia Capitolina still retained some memory of its Jewish past.
1242
Caracalla. BI Tetradrachm (12.10 g), AD 198-217. Antioch in Syria, Cos. III (AD 208-212, but probably
struck ca. 208). AYT KAI ANT
W
NEINOC C-E-B, laureate head of Caracalla right. Rev.
D
HMAPX
X
Y
P
A TO
G
, eagle standing facing, head right, on leg and thigh of sacrificial animal, holding wreath in beak.
(McAlee 670; Prieur 208). Fine style portrait.
NGC grade AU; Strike: 5/5, Surface: 5/5.
$ 400
1243
Caracalla. Æ (12.12 g), AD 198-217. Marcianopolis in Moesia Inferior, AD 207-210. Julius Faustinianus,
imperial legate. AVT M APH
L
I
ANTO
(
NE
)
INO
C, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right.
Rev. V
I FAU
C
TINIANO
V
MARKIANOPOLITWN
, eagle standing facing on thunderbolt, head left, holding
wreath in beak. (cf. Hristova & Jekov 6.18.1.7 (legends); cf. Varbanov 932 (eagle’s head right)). Glossy dark
olive-green patina. Superb extremely fine.
$ 300
1244
Severus Alexander. Silver Denarius, AD 222-235. Rome, 230. IMP SEV ALE-XAND AVG, laureate head
of Severus Alexander right. Rev. P M TR P VII-II COS III P P, Sol standing facing, head left, extending arm
and holding whip. (RIC 101; BMC 623; RSC 388). Full luster.
NGC grade Choice mint state.
$ 300
1243
1244
1240
1242
1241