Æ19 - Nero ϹΗϹΤΙΩΝ

Sestus, a small settlement on the European shore of the Hellespont, held strategic importance entirely disproportionate to its size — it was the narrowest crossing point between Europe and Asia, making it both a toll station and a military chokepoint for centuries. This issue, struck under Claudius or in the earliest years of Nero's reign, belongs to a thin run of civic bronzes from the city that otherwise left almost no numismatic footprint. The RPC I 1744A designation reflects a relatively recent cataloguing addition, suggesting examples were either overlooked or surfaced after the original RPC I volumes were published.