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Æ22 - Caracalla ΚΥΖΙΚΗΝΩΝ ΔΙϹ ΝΕΟΚΟ (ΩΝ)
| Issuer | Mint of Cyzicus (Provincial issue under Caracalla) |
|---|---|
| Year | 198-217 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 5.85 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | A tall torch set upright in the central field, its shaft entwined by a serpent coiling upward from base to crown, a type emblematic of the mystery cults associated with Cyzicus and its neocorate status. The serpent's body wraps in sinuous coils around the torch shaft, evoking chthonic and sacred connotations. The circular Greek legend around the periphery proclaims Cyzicus' double neocorate honour, attesting to the city's prestige as a twice-confirmed keeper of the imperial cult. |
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| Additional information |
Cyzicus earned the title "neokoros" — temple warden of the imperial cult — and the designation DIS NEOKOROS (twice neokoros) reflects a second such grant, a civic honor fiercely competed for among Asian cities under the Severan emperors. The scramble for neokorate status was partly political theater: cities lobbied Rome with expensive embassies and promises of temple construction, and the title directly affected a city's rank in the provincial hierarchy.
Cyzicus had been one of the most important mints in the eastern Mediterranean for centuries before this issue.