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Æ19 - Caracalla ΚΟΛω
| Issuer | Carrhae (Mesopotamia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 198-217 |
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| Reference(s) | Lindgren III 1193; BMC Arabia p. 97 |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | A crescent enclosing a star, set upon a filleted or decorated baetyl stone resting on a large rectangular base or altar, the whole composition referencing the astral cult of the moon-god Sin, principal deity of Carrhae. Two military signa or standards flank the central cult symbol on either side. The legend ΚΟΛω, an abbreviation for Colonia, appears in the field, attesting to the city's colonial status. The composition is characteristic of the religious iconography of Carrhae, a major cult centre of the moon-god in Mesopotamia. |
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| Additional information |
Carrhae's civic bronzes under Caracalla carry weight beyond their modest size. The city — known in Latin as Carrhae — was the site of Rome's catastrophic defeat against the Parthians in 53 BC, where Crassus died and seven legions were destroyed. Caracalla visited the region personally, and the city held religious significance for him as a center of the Moon god's cult. The colonial title abbreviated on this issue, ΚΟΛω, reflects the Severan policy of granting colonial status to eastern cities as administrative and political currency.