Æ32 - Elagabalus CAMΩCATEΩN, Samosata

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.