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Æ43 - Philip I ΠΕΡΠΕΡΟΥ ΡΟΥΦ Α ΑΡ ΤΟ Β ΓΕΡΜΗΝΩΝ
| Issuer | City of Germe (Conventus of Pergamum) |
|---|---|
| Year | 244-249 |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Reverse description | Heracles reclines to the left atop the Nemean lion's back, his powerful figure shown in repose after his celebrated labour. In his outstretched hand he holds a small Eros figure, while his club rests nearby, alluding to both his heroic strength and his amorous associations in the Hellenistic tradition. The composition fills the broad flan effectively, with the encircling Greek civic legend disposed around the central figural group. The reverse type reflects the local mythological and religious traditions of Germe in Mysia, associating civic pride with the imagery of the great hero. The style is consistent with provincial bronze coinage of the Pergamene conventus under Philip I. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Germe was a minor Mysian city whose civic coinage under Philip I reflects the competitive honorific culture of the Pergamene conventus — cities vied to display titles like ΝΕΩΚΟΡΟΣ or, as here, claims tied to the emperor's own nomenclature to curry administrative favor. The obverse legend's reference to a local magistrate (the ΑΡΧΩΝ formula) dates this issue to a specific tenure in office, making it potentially traceable within Philip's five-year reign if the magistrate's name appears in other civic issues from the region.
At 43mm and nearly 39 grams, this is among the largest bronze denominations in provincial Asia Minor — a ΠΕΡΠΕΡΟΥ issue, the highest-value civic bronze. Such pieces rarely circulated hard; their scale suggests ceremonial distribution or local prestige spending.