Æ34 - Elagabalus ΕΠΙ Φ ΠΑΠΙΑΝΟΥ ΑΡΧ Α ΤΟ Β ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΕΩΝ ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ

Philadelphia in Lydia held the title of neokoros — warden of an imperial cult temple — a distinction granted by Rome and fiercely competed for among the cities of Asia Minor. The magistrate named in this coin's inscription, Papianos, is attested serving a second term as archon, the "TO B" confirming a repeated tenure that suggests either political dominance or a shortage of eligible candidates willing to manage the liturgical expense of the office during Elagabalus's turbulent reign.

The city had received its first neokorate under an earlier emperor, and the title appears on civic bronze precisely because it carried propaganda value in inter-city rivalries throughout the conventus of Sardis.