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Æ19 - Marcus Aurelius ϹΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ
| Issuer | Smyrna (Conventus of Smyrna) |
|---|---|
| Year | 161-166 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Turreted and draped bust of the Amazon Smyrna, personification of the city, facing left, bearing a double axe (labrys) over her right shoulder. The turreted crown denotes her role as city goddess, and the draped garment is rendered in typical provincial Greek style. The legend ϹΜΥΡΝΑ appears in the field identifying the personification. |
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| Reverse description | Eagle standing facing on a horizontal line, wings spread in display posture, head turned sharply to the right, holding a wreath in its beak. The eagle, a symbol of Zeus and imperial authority, is rendered in the standard Smyrnaean provincial style common under the Antonine dynasty. The encircling legend ϹΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ, meaning 'of the Smyrnaeans', fills the reverse field. |
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Smyrna was among the most prosperous and politically connected cities in the Roman province of Asia, and it spent lavishly on civic coinage throughout the Antonine period. This issue falls within the first half of Marcus Aurelius's reign, before the Parthian campaigns consumed imperial attention and resources. The city held the prestigious title of neokoros — temple warden of the imperial cult — which it used aggressively to negotiate favorable status with Rome and to justify a continuous, varied bronze output for local exchange.