Æ20 - Marcus Aurelius C G I H PAR

Parium, the old Greek colony on the Propontis, held colonial status under Rome and accordingly struck its own bronze coinage advertising that privilege — the familiar C G I H abbreviation standing for Colonia Gemella Iulia Hadriana Pariana, a title accumulated across successive imperial grants. Issues tied specifically to Marcus Aurelius's reign are relatively scarce; the city's mint was never prolific, and its output during the Parthian war years of the 160s reflects a civic administration more interested in asserting Roman identity than in volume production.