Æ26 - Severus Alexander ϹΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ Γ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ

Smyrna held the title of neokoros — official keeper of an imperial cult temple — three times, a distinction it pursued aggressively through civic embassies to Rome and considerable expenditure. The Γ (third) neokorate was granted under Caracalla, making its continued proclamation under Severus Alexander a deliberate act of civic prestige rather than fresh news. Of all the cities in Asia Minor competing for imperial favor through bronze coinage, Smyrna was among the most prolific, and the third-neokorate issues span a wide range of denominations and reverse types across multiple reigns.