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Æ26 - Trajan Decius ϹΕΠ ΚΟΛ ΡΗϹΑΙΝΗϹΙωΝ L III P
| Issuer | Rhesaena (Mesopotamia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 249-251 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | A priest, robed in ceremonial attire and holding a long staff or goad, advances to the right while guiding a yoke of two oxen in the act of ploughing, a classic Roman colonial foundation type symbolising the ritual demarcation of a city's boundaries. Above this central scene, an eagle perches atop a palm branch with a wreath held in its beak, an emblem of victory and divine favour. In the exergue, a wreath is flanked by two palm branches, further reinforcing the colonial and honorific iconography. The reverse legend, distributed around the field, identifies the Septimian colony of Rhesaena and the Legio III Parthica. The composition reflects the pride of the city in its colonial status and its association with the Parthian legionary garrison. |
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| Additional information |
Rhesaena was a Severan foundation on the Khabur River, elevated to colonial status under that dynasty, and its coins under Trajan Decius represent nearly the entire known municipal bronze output from this obscure Mesopotamian mint. Decius' reign lasted barely two years before his death fighting the Goths at Abrittus in 251 — the first Roman emperor killed in battle by a foreign enemy — cutting short whatever further issues Rhesaena may have produced.
The "L III P" in the legend remains debated among specialists, likely referencing a local era dating.