Year 19 of Hadrian's reign coincided with his second extended visit to Egypt, which began in 130 AD and included the infamous drowning of his favourite Antinous in the Nile — an event that prompted a grief-driven deification and the founding of Antinoöpolis. The Alexandrian mint was exceptionally productive during these years, issuing an unusually diverse range of reverse types tied to Egyptian religious iconography and imperial cult promotion.
Alexandrian bronzes of this period are dated by regnal year rather than consular year, a practice inherited from Ptolemaic tradition maintained unbroken through Roman administration of the province.
Year 19 of Hadrian's reign coincided with his second extended visit to Egypt, which began in 130 AD and included the infamous drowning of his favourite Antinous in the Nile — an event that prompted a grief-driven deification and the founding of Antinoöpolis. The Alexandrian mint was exceptionally productive during these years, issuing an unusually diverse range of reverse types tied to Egyptian religious iconography and imperial cult promotion.
Alexandrian bronzes of this period are dated by regnal year rather than consular year, a practice inherited from Ptolemaic tradition maintained unbroken through Roman administration of the province.