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Æ21 - Severus Alexander ΝΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ
| Issuer | Nicaea (Bithynia and Pontus) |
|---|---|
| Year | 222-235 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate head of the emperor Severus Alexander facing right, rendered in the provincial style typical of Bithynian civic coinage of the early third century AD. The effigy displays characteristic curled hair beneath the laurel wreath, with facial features discernible despite heavy patination and surface wear. A circular Greek legend surrounds the portrait, running along the periphery of the flan. The flan is irregular in shape, as is common for hammered provincial bronze issues of this period. |
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| Obverse lettering | Μ ΑΥΡ ϹΕΥΗ ΑΛΕΖΑΝΔΡΟϹ (or ϹΕΥΗ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΟΡϹ) Α(ΥΓ) (or ΑΥΓ) (Translation: Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Augustus) |
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Nicaea's civic bronze output under Severus Alexander was prolific — the city leveraged its status as one of Bithynia's two dominant centers, perpetually competing with Nicomedia for provincial prestige. That rivalry played out partly through coin production volume and the quality of municipal types sent to the engravers.
The city had hosted the first Ecumenical Council in 325 AD, but under Alexander's reign it was still firmly a pagan administrative hub jostling for Roman favor through loyal coinage.