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Æ13 - Hadrian ΜΕΜΦΙ, L ΙΑ
| Issuer | Alexandria (Egypt) |
|---|---|
| Year | 117-138 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 2.02 g |
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| Reverse description | The sacred Apis bull striding to the right, adorned with a sun disk between its horns and a menat necklace around its neck, emblems of its divine status in Egyptian religious tradition. An Egyptian altar is depicted in the field before the bull. The reverse inscription denotes the Memphite nome and regnal year 11 of Hadrian's reign. The design reflects the syncretism of Roman imperial and Egyptian religious iconography characteristic of Alexandrian provincial coinage. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΜΕΜΦΙ, L ΙΑ (Translation: Memphite (nome), of year 11) |
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| Additional information |
Alexandria's Egyptian bronzes under Hadrian were dated by regnal year using the Egyptian calendar, making precise attribution unusually straightforward for provincial coinage of this period. The "L ΙΑ" notation places this piece in year 11 of Hadrian's reign — 126/127 AD — during his extended tour of the eastern provinces, which included a well-documented visit to Egypt in 130 AD. Memphis itself held deep ceremonial significance as the ancient seat of Ptah's cult and the site of the Apis bull burials at the Serapeum.