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Æ20 - Gallienus (sole reign) (ϹΜΥΡ Γ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ)
| Issuer | Mint of Smyrna (Conventus of Smyrna) |
|---|---|
| Year | 260-268 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Reverse description | Tyche, the tutelary goddess of Smyrna, depicted standing to the left in full figure, draped in a chiton and himation. She holds a ship's rudder in her right hand, resting it on the ground, and cradles a cornucopia in her left arm, symbolising the city's maritime prosperity and abundance. The surrounding Greek legend proudly proclaims Smyrna's status as a triple neocorate city, reflecting its prestigious role in the imperial cult. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Smyrna held the title of neokoros — official keeper of an imperial cult temple — three times by the mid-third century, and the legend ϹΜΥΡ Γ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ advertises exactly that triple status. The honor was fiercely competitive among the cities of Asia Minor, conferring tax privileges and prestige that local magistrates actively lobbied emperors to grant or renew. Gallienus, occupied with near-constant military crisis across the western empire during his sole reign, relied heavily on eastern civic loyalty, and such issues were part of how cities like Smyrna signaled their continued alignment with Rome.