Æ44 - Commodus ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡ ΠΙΟΥ ΚΟΙΝΟΝ ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ Κ ΕΦΕϹΙ

This large civic bronze belongs to a narrow window at the start of Commodus's sole reign, when the new emperor was still permitting — and likely encouraging — the Greek cities of Asia Minor to issue prestige bronzes that reinforced his divine associations. Pergamum held the rare distinction of being a twice-neokoros city, a status tied directly to its imperial cult temples, and the joint issue with Ephesus reflects the fierce but carefully managed rivalry between the two cities for provincial precedence. Such homonoia issues were as much diplomatic instruments as they were coins.

The strategos named in the obverse legend, Pius, anchored civic dating for the issue and served as the magistrate accountable to Rome for its production.