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Æ36 - Macrinus ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ, ΝΩΕ (on chest)
| Issuer | Apamea (Phrygia) (Conventus of Apamea) |
|---|---|
| Year | 217-218 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Depiction of Noah's Ark rendered as a rectangular chest or box floating on water, with an open lid; Noah and his wife, both draped, stand upright within the ark facing left. To the left of the ark, Noah and his wife are shown again standing and facing left, with Noah raising his right hand in a gesture of supplication or greeting. A dove in flight approaches from the left, carrying a branch in its talons, while a second bird perches atop the right corner of the lid. The legend ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ appears in the field and ΝΩΕ is inscribed on the chest itself, identifying the biblical figure of Noah — a unique iconographic tradition linking the city of Apamea with the resting place of the Ark. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ, ΝΩΕ (on chest) (Translation: of the Apameans, Noah) |
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| Additional information |
Apamea in Phrygia claimed descent from Noah — the city's very name was linked in ancient tradition to the resting place of the ark, and local coinage exploited this mythology aggressively. The inscription on the chest of the figure depicted is among the most explicit biblical references surviving on any ancient civic bronze, a detail that drew antiquarian attention as early as the 17th century. Macrinus, who authorized this issue during his single chaotic year as emperor, almost certainly had no particular interest in Apamean flood mythology — the city was simply minting what sold.