Michael Stolt Posted July 16 · Member Share Posted July 16 (edited) Had great weekend, as I managed to add a third drachm of Lucilla minted at Edessa to my collection. It feels great to already have 3/6 known types of her from this city, as they all are extremely rare. This is the fourth known specimen of this type, featuring a reverse with Hera/Juno. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ma'nu VIII, Philoromaios, with Lucilla. AR Drachm (18mm, 3.00 g, 12h). Edessa, Mesopotamia ca. AD 167-169. ΛΟΥΚΙΛΛΑ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΗ, Diademed and draped bust of Lucilla right / ΒΑϹΙΛΕΥϹ ΜΑΝΝΟϹ ΦΙΛΟΡωΜΑ(ΙϹ) (Αs shaped as Λs), Hera/Juno standing front, head to left, holding patera in her right hand and long scepter in her left. RPC IV.3 1833/3 (this coin). The fourth known specimen of this type. Ex. Leu Numismatik, Web Auction 30 (14 July 2024), lot 1607; Ex. Astarte, E-Auction 2 (9 December 2023), lot 241. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ma'nu VIII, Philoromaios, with Lucilla. Augusta, AD 164-182. AR Drachm (18.5mm, 3.51 g, 6h). Edessa, Mesopotamia ca. AD 167-169. ΛΟΥΚΙΛΛΑ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΗ, Diademed and draped bust of Lucilla right / ΒΑϹΙΛЄΥϹ ΜΑΝΝΟϹ ΦΙΛΟΡωΜΑ, Nike/Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm frond. RPC IV.3 1831/2 (this coin). The second known specimen of this type. Ex. CNG 126 (28 May 2024), lot 506. Ma'nu VIII, Philoromaios, with Lucilla. Augusta, AD 164-182. AR Drachm (17mm, 3.02 g, 6h). Edessa, Mesopotamia ca. AD 167-169. ΛΟΥΚΙΛΛΑ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΗ, diademed and draped bust of Lucilla right. / ΒΑϹΙΛЄΥϹ ΜΑΝΝΟϹ ΦΙΛΟΡωΜΑΙϹ, Hygieia/Salus seated left, feeding from patera serpent arising from altar and holding cornucopiae. RPC IV.3 1832/4 (this coin). The third known specimen of this type. Ex. Sol Numismatik, Auction XXIII (13 January 2024), lot 567. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Roman pillars on top of the acropolis of Edessa, now known as Urfa castle) Edessa was the capital of Osrhoene, a small kingdom located in Mesopotamia, on the far eastern edges of the Roman Empire, bordering the Parthian Empire. It acquired independence around 136 BC from the collapsing Seleucid Empire, through a dynasty of the nomadic Nabataean Arab tribe from Southern Canaan and North Arabia, known as the Osrhoeni. Osrhoene's name either derives from the name of this tribe, or from Orhay, the original Aramaic name for Edessa. (Remains of the Kizilkoyun necropolis, dating back to the time of the kingdom) After a period under the rule of the Parthian Empire, it was absorbed into the Roman Empire in AD 114 as a semiautonomous vassal state. While it aided Rome in their campaigns against the Parthians on several occasions, in AD 116, the Romans, under the general Lucius Quietus, sacked Edessa, and quelled an uprising which put an end to Osrhoene's independence. However, Hadrian restored the client kingdom under Ma'nu VII in AD 123. Following the Roman–Parthian War of AD 161–166, Marcus Aurelius expanded the forts and city walls, and stationed a garrison at the nearby city of Nisibis. (Remains of the Kizilkoyun necropolis, dating back to the time of the kingdom) In AD 195, following a civil war in which the kingdom had supported his rival Pescennius Niger, the emperor Septimius Severus mounted an invasion and annexed the territory as a new province, making Nisibis its new capital. However, the emperor did allow the current king, Abgar VIII, to keep the city of Edessa and a small territory surrounding it. In AD 212, Abgar VIII was succeeded by his son, Abgar IX. The new king, along with his son, were summoned to Rome in AD 213, and subsequently murdered on orders of the emperor Caracalla. About a year later, the Roman emperor ended the independence of the kingdom, and the remaining territory was incorporated into the Roman province of Osrhoene. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edited July 16 by Michael Stolt 15 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted July 16 · Supporter Share Posted July 16 ...ok @Edessa...you heard the call 😄 neat coin(s) and write up @Michael Stolt 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edessa Posted July 16 · Supporter Share Posted July 16 1 hour ago, ominus1 said: ...ok @Edessa...you heard the call 😄 neat coin(s) and write up @Michael Stolt 🙂 Okdk. Mesopotamia, Edessa. Macrinus. AD 217-218. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 12.02g, 6h). Obv: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: Eagle standing facing, head and tail right, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; between legs, shrine with pediment. Ref: Prieur 863 (same obverse die as illustration). Very Fine, lightly toned, minor porosity. Extremely rare, only two noted by Prieur, and one in CoinArchives. Ex CNG e296 (13 Feb 2013), Lot 202. Ex Goldberg Pre-Long Beach (30 Jun 2022), Lot 2382. 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted July 18 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted July 18 Interesting article and coins. Thanks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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