Ephesus held the title of "first and greatest metropolis of Asia" during the Severan period, a designation it jealously guarded against rival cities like Smyrna and Pergamon. Provincial bronze issues of this type were struck under civic authority rather than imperial mandate, funded and organized locally — the legends advertising Ephesian prestige as much as facilitating trade.
V.2#222 places this among a well-documented group, but individual die studies have shown considerable variation in flan preparation across the Severan Ephesian series.
Ephesus held the title of "first and greatest metropolis of Asia" during the Severan period, a designation it jealously guarded against rival cities like Smyrna and Pergamon. Provincial bronze issues of this type were struck under civic authority rather than imperial mandate, funded and organized locally — the legends advertising Ephesian prestige as much as facilitating trade.
V.2#222 places this among a well-documented group, but individual die studies have shown considerable variation in flan preparation across the Severan Ephesian series.