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Æ24 - Commodus ΜΗ (Ρ) ΝΕΩ ΝΙΚ (Μ)
| Issuer | Nicomedia (Bithynia and Pontus) |
|---|---|
| Year | 184-190 |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Obverse description | Laureate, cuirassed bust of Emperor Commodus facing right, depicted in the provincial style typical of Bithynian civic coinage. The portrait shows the emperor in military dress, the laureate wreath rendered in low relief consistent with the hammered technique. The surrounding field carries a partial Greek imperial titulature legend. The flan is slightly irregular, as characteristic of provincial bronze issues of this period. |
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| Reverse script | Greek |
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Nicomedia was among the most politically attuned cities in Bithynia, quick to cultivate imperial favor through coinage — and Commodus gave them ample material to work with. The titles abbreviated in this coin's legend reflect the cascade of victory epithets the emperor accumulated between 184 and 190, particularly following the campaigns against the Caledonians in Britain under the governor Ulpius Marcellus, after which the Senate granted Commodus the title Britannicus. The city's enthusiasm for flattering nomenclature was not merely civic pride; Nicomedia and Nicaea were in perpetual rivalry for the title of First City of Bithynia, and demonstrating loyalty through bronze issues was a calculable advantage.