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Æ32 - Elagabalus CAMΩCATEΩN, Samosata
| Issuer | Samosata (Commagene, Syria) |
|---|---|
| Year | 218-222 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Emperor Elagabalus facing right, the neck and shoulder clearly articulated with paludamentum visible at the left shoulder. The Imperial legend runs around the bust in Greek characters. The portrait displays the youthful features characteristic of Elagabalus's coinage from the mint of Samosata. |
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| Obverse lettering | AVT KAI M AV ANTΩNEINOC C |
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| Additional information |
Samosata served as the capital of the kingdom of Commagene until Vespasian dissolved it as an independent entity in 72 AD, after which it became a key legionary station on the Euphrates frontier. Provincial bronze of this type was struck under local civic authority, not imperial directive — Elagabalus was simply the reigning emperor whose name and image legitimized the issue while the city retained meaningful control over its own small-denomination coinage.
Elagabalus himself had been proclaimed emperor at Raphaneae, not far from Samosata, in May 218 — the Syrian legions knew this territory intimately.