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Æ21 - Elagabalus ΝΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ
| Issuer | Nicaea (Bithynia and Pontus) |
|---|---|
| Year | 218-222 |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | An agonistic crown, shown as a basket-form wreath adorned with decorative elements, surmounted by a single upright palm branch rising prominently from the center — a symbol of victory associated with athletic games. The type reflects Nicaea's pride in hosting public games and competitions. The encircling Greek legend ΝΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ identifies the issuing city. The design is characteristic of the agonistic reverse types widespread in Bithynian provincial coinage of the Severan period. |
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| Mint | Nicaea (Bithynia) |
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| Additional information |
Nicaea was among the most prolific municipal mints of Bithynia under the Severan dynasty, issuing bronze coinage continuously through the reigns of several emperors — but Elagabalus's tenure, 218 to 222, brought particular instability to Roman provincial administration. The emperor's religious program, centered on the cult of the sun-god Elagabal imported from Emesa, alienated the Senate and military alike, and his assassination at eighteen ended one of the more chaotic reigns of the third century.
The ΝΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ ethnic confirms municipal authority over the issue, not imperial — these bronzes circulated locally and were never sanctioned by Rome's central mint.