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| Issuer | Cyzicus (Conventus of Cyzicus) |
|---|---|
| Year | 222-235 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Emperor Severus Alexander facing right, depicted from behind in three-quarter rear view, with the paludamentum visible over the left shoulder. The imperial legend encircles the bust in Greek script within the field. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ΑΥ ΚΑΙ Μ ΑΥ ϹΕΒΗ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟϹ ΑΥΓ (Translation: Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Augustus) |
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| Additional information |
Cyzicus held the title of neokoros — temple warden of the imperial cult — multiple times over, and coins explicitly advertising this status were deliberate civic propaganda aimed at reinforcing the city's prestige within the Roman provincial hierarchy. The competition among Asian cities for neokorate honors was fierce; Smyrna and Ephesus fought bitterly for precedence, and Cyzicus used every available medium, coinage included, to assert its standing.
The reign of Severus Alexander saw a marked revival of traditionalist religious policy after the chaos of Elagabalus, which may have encouraged cities like Cyzicus to trumpet their imperial cult credentials with renewed enthusiasm.