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Æ14 - Caligula ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΕΩΝ ΜΕΛΑΝΘΟΣ ΙΕΡΕΥΣ ΓΕΡΜΑΝΙΚΟΥ
| Issuer | Philadelphia, Lydia (Roman Provincial mint) |
|---|---|
| Year | 37-41 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 2.84 g |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | A winged thunderbolt depicted vertically at center, the central device associated with Zeus and used widely on Roman Provincial bronzes of the Lydian conventus. The thunderbolt is flanked on either side by the multi-line Greek legend naming the city of Philadelphia and the local magistrate Melanthos, priest of Germanicus. The inscription is arranged in two columns flanking the central device, filling the field in a manner typical of small-module provincial bronzes of the Julio-Claudian period. |
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| Additional information |
Philadelphia in Lydia was among the most enthusiastically pro-Roman cities in Asia Minor, and the cult of Germanicus — Caligula's deceased father — provided a politically useful vehicle for flattering the new emperor. This coin names Melanthos as priest of Germanicus, a local magistrate advertising his religious office as a mark of civic loyalty to Rome within months of Caligula's accession in 37 AD. The priesthood of a deified or hero-cult figure was a genuine municipal honor, not ceremonial filler.