Æ36 - Macrinus ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ, ΝΩΕ (on chest)

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.