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Æ23 - Elagabalus ϹΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ ΤΡΙϹ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ
| Issuer | Sardes (Conventus of Sardis) |
|---|---|
| Year | 218-222 |
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| Reference(s) | RPC VI#4498 |
| Obverse description | Draped bust of Julia Maesa facing right, her hair elaborately waved and drawn back, depicted in the typical Severan court style. The effigy is rendered in moderate relief against a flat field, with visible drapery folds at the shoulder and chest. The circular legend surrounds the portrait, reading ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΜΑΙϹΑ ΑΥ, identifying the subject as Julia Maesa Augusta. The strike is somewhat irregular, consistent with provincial bronze coinage of the period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Sardis held the title of neokoros — warden of the imperial cult — three times over, a distinction aggressively pursued by cities across the Greek East as a measure of civic prestige and a direct line to imperial favor. The triple neokoria claim embedded in this coin's legend reflects Sardis's accumulated honors under Caracalla, who granted the city its third title, likely around 215 AD. Elagabalus's reign was short enough that most provincial bronzes from this period were struck on existing civic momentum rather than any new imperial initiative from Rome.