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Æ43 - Commodus ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡ Μ ΑΙ ΓΛΥΚΩΝΙΑΝΟΥ ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ Β ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩΝ
| Issuer | City of Pergamum (Conventus of Pergamum) |
|---|---|
| Year | 180-182 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 42.10 g |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | The emperor stands facing on a raised base, head turned to the left, clad in full military dress, holding a spear in his right hand while erecting a trophy with his left; to the left of the trophy, a bound captive is seated on the ground. In the foreground, a male figure raises a double axe (labrys) to sacrifice a humped bull, the animal rendered in profile. The scene combines triumphal and sacrificial iconography, evoking Roman military victory. The reverse legend, distributed around the field, names the strategos Glykonianos and proclaims Pergamum's status as holder of the neokorate twice. |
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Pergamum held the title of neokoros — warden of the imperial cult — twice over by this period, a distinction earned through competitive civic lobbying at Rome and fiercely defended against rival cities like Smyrna and Ephesus. The inscription names the strategos M. Ai. Glykonianos as presiding magistrate, anchoring the coin precisely within the city's local administrative calendar. These large civic bronzes were produced for ceremonial and prestige purposes rather than everyday exchange; the sheer fabric makes that clear enough.
The issue dates to the opening years of Commodus's sole reign, before the emperor's increasingly erratic behavior alienated the senatorial class that had initially supported his succession from Marcus Aurelius.