Æ35 - Septimius Severus ΔΙϹ ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩΝ, ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ

Ephesus held the title of neokoros — temple warden to the imperial cult — multiple times over, and the ΔΙϹ ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩΝ legend on this issue directly advertises that double status. The city leveraged these honors aggressively in civic rivalry with Smyrna and Pergamon, and the competition for neokorate titles under the Severan dynasty was intense enough to generate diplomatic missions to Rome. Septimius Severus, consolidating power after the civil wars of 193, had every reason to reward loyal eastern cities with prestige titles that cost the imperial treasury nothing.