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Æ36 - Severus Alexander ΜΟΝΩΝ ΠΡΩΤΩΝ ΑϹΙΑϹ ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ
| Issuer | Ephesus (Conventus of Ephesus) |
|---|---|
| Year | 222-235 |
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| Reference(s) | RPC VI#4956 |
| Obverse description | Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of the emperor Severus Alexander facing right, portrayed from the rear, with the legend encircling the field. The effigy presents the characteristic Severan portrait style with a pronounced laureate wreath, the paludamentum visible at the shoulder, and the cuirass suggesting an imperial military identity. The obverse legend runs around the bust in Greek characters, identifying the emperor by his full titulature. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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Ephesus held the title prōtē — first city of Asia — with ferocious civic pride, and the boast inscribed on coins like this one was not mere flattery but an active assertion in a long-running rivalry with Smyrna and Pergamon over metropolitan precedence. The three cities lobbied Rome repeatedly for recognition, and emperors parceled out honorifics carefully to manage the competition. Under Severus Alexander, Ephesus held firm in its claim.
At 36mm this is a substantial civic bronze, struck for local prestige rather than everyday exchange.