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Æ25 - Gordian III ΑϹΠΕΝΔΙωΝ
| Issuer | Aspendus (Lycia et Pamphylia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 238-241 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 25 mm |
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| Obverse description | Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Emperor Gordian III facing right, seen from the front, with paludamentum visible over the left shoulder. The imperial effigy is rendered in the typical provincial style of Pamphylian civic coinage. A circular Greek legend surrounds the bust in the field. The flan bears a small perforation at the right, indicative of post-antique suspension use. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Two nude wrestlers standing facing one another at centre, each grasping the other's arms in a classic pankration hold, a motif closely associated with the city of Aspendus and its longstanding athletic tradition. A palm branch is depicted below the figures in the lower field, symbolising victory. The ethnic legend of the issuing city encircles the design. The flan is irregular and the surfaces show heavy patination consistent with prolonged burial. |
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| Additional information |
Aspendos had a long tradition of civic coinage stretching back to its celebrated fifth-century BC staters, but by Gordian III's reign the city was striking bronze issues under the authority of the Roman provincial system rather than as an independent mint. The SNG Copenhagen 246 var. designation signals a die difference from the primary catalogued specimen — likely in the magistrate's name or a minor reverse element — which is not unusual for Pamphylian civic bronzes of this period, where local officials rotated frequently and left their names on short production runs.