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Æ24 - Antoninus Pius ΑΡΓΕΙωΝ
| Issuer | Argos (Achaea) |
|---|---|
| Year | 138-161 |
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| Reference(s) | RPC IV.1#9658 |
| Obverse description | Bare laureate head of Emperor Antoninus Pius facing right, with characteristic portrait bust rendered in the provincial Greek style. The hair is depicted in layered, slightly curled locks typical of Antonine imperial portraiture. A partially legible Greek legend encircles the obverse field, identifying the emperor by his titles. The flan is irregular and the surface shows areas of patination consistent with provincial bronze coinage of the mid-second century AD. |
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| Reverse description | A male figure advances to the right, bearing what appears to be a sack or bundle over one shoulder and holding a transverse trident, attributes possibly associated with a local deity or heroic figure. To the left, a second figure is depicted on the ground, seemingly recumbent or crouching and holding an uncertain object. The composition reflects the local Argive iconographic tradition, and the reverse legend in Greek identifies the issuing city. The overall workmanship is consistent with provincial bronze issues of the Antonine period. |
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| Additional information |
Argos claimed to be the oldest city in Greece — a boast taken seriously enough that local coinages under Roman rule leaned heavily on mythological genealogy to assert civic primacy over rivals like Corinth. Bronze issues of this type circulated locally, their authority resting entirely on municipal sanction rather than imperial mandate, which is why the ethnic inscription mattered so much to the issuing body.
The reign of Antoninus Pius saw a notable flowering of provincial bronze across the Peloponnese, partly attributable to the emperor's personal philhellenism and his continuation of Hadrian's policy of encouraging Greek civic identity within the imperial framework.