Æ29 - Gordian III ΜΑΓΝΗΤΩΝ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ ΤΗϹ ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΟϹ

Magnesia ad Maeandrum held the title of neokoros — temple warden — of Artemis, a civic honor that entitled the city to advertise its religious prestige on coinage. The designation was fiercely competed for among Ionian cities during the third century, carrying real economic weight: pilgrims, festivals, and the status of hosting a recognized imperial cult all flowed from it. Gordian III's brief reign saw a flurry of such civic issues across the conventus of Miletus, as cities jostled for imperial favor during an unstable succession.