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Æ28 - Commodus ΝΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ (Α with curved crossbar)
| Issuer | Nicaea (Bithynia and Pontus) |
|---|---|
| Year | 177-192 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate and cuirassed bust of Emperor Commodus facing right, the effigy rendered with characteristic curly hair and youthful features typical of his early provincial portraiture. The cuirass is visible at the truncation, with pteryges suggested at the lower edge of the bust. The encircling Greek legend runs along the periphery of the flan. The overall style is consistent with the provincial workshops of Bithynia, exhibiting bold, slightly schematic modeling. |
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| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Nicaea's bronze issues under Commodus were produced by a city acutely aware of its own prestige — the town had long competed with neighboring Nicomedia for the title of "first city" of Bithynia, a rivalry that played out partly through the grandeur of civic coinage. The variant alpha with curved crossbar in the ethnic inscription ΝΙΚΑΙΕΩΝ is a die-cutter's idiosyncrasy documented within this series, not a later alteration.