Æ22 - Philip I ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ Α ΚΑΤΑΠΛΟΥϹ

Philip I's reign coincided with Rome's millennial celebrations of 248 AD — a politically charged moment that provincial mints across Asia Minor used to assert their ceremonial standing. Ephesus, as the dominant city of the province of Asia, was particularly active in this period, issuing a prolific series of bronzes that underscored the city's primacy. The designation Α — first — in the civic title was fiercely contested among Asiatic cities, and Ephesus spent considerable political capital maintaining it against rival claims from Smyrna and Pergamon.

The ΚΑΤΑΠΛΟΥϹ reverse type refers to the ceremonial harbor arrival, a scene tied to Ephesus's role as the principal port of entry into Asia.