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AR20 - Diocletian L Ζ
| Issuer | Alexandria (Egypt) |
|---|---|
| Year | 290-291 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Laureate bust of Diocletian facing right, with short beard and draped shoulders, rendered in the provincial style characteristic of Alexandrian tetradrachms. The emperor's radiate crown is replaced here by a laurel wreath, emphasizing his imperial dignity. The encircling Greek legend reads ΔΙΟΚΛΗΤΙΑΝΟϹ ϹΕΒ (Diocletianus Sebastos), positioned around the effigy in the field. |
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| Mintage | ND (290-291) |
| Additional information |
This piece dates to regnal year 7 of Diocletian's reign over Egypt, a province that retained its own distinct dating system and mint long after the rest of the empire had standardized. Alexandria's output during this period was enormous — the mint was one of the busiest in the Roman world — yet survival rates for billon tetradrachms in collectible condition remain surprisingly low, owing to the alloy's chronic susceptibility to surface corrosion and pitting.
Year 7 falls just before Diocletian's currency reforms of 294 AD, which effectively ended the Alexandrian tetradrachm series entirely after nearly three centuries of unbroken production.