Æ31 - Marcus Aurelius ΑΡΤΕΜΙϹ ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ

Issued during the co-reign of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, this bronze falls within a politically charged moment: Commodus was elevated to co-emperor in 177 AD partly in response to anxieties over succession following the Antonine plague and the Marcomannic Wars. Ephesus, as the administrative seat of the Asian conventus and the largest city in the province, produced civic bronzes at considerable volume during this period, often leveraging its status as the preeminent cult center of Artemis to assert regional prestige against rival cities like Smyrna and Pergamon.