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AR23 - Gordian III L Β
| Issuer | Alexandria (Egypt) |
|---|---|
| Year | 238-239 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 23 mm |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | Nike, the winged goddess of victory, depicted in dynamic profile driving a biga of two galloping horses to the right, holding the bridle in her left hand and an upright palm branch in her right. The composition conveys vigorous movement, with the horses rendered in full stride and Nike leaning forward in the chariot. The regnal date L Β (Year 2, corresponding to 238-239 AD) appears prominently in the upper field above the quadriga, a characteristic dating convention of the Alexandrian mint. The ground line beneath the horses and the overall composition are typical of the Alexandrian imperial tetradrachm series. |
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| Additional information |
Gordian III came to power in 238 AD — the so-called Year of the Six Emperors — after a boy mob in Rome tore his grandfather Gordian I's co-emperor and son Gordian II to pieces, or near enough, leaving the thirteen-year-old as the compromise candidate the Senate could control. Alexandria's imperial coinage operated on its own closed currency system, meaning these billon tetradrachms were struck exclusively for circulation within Egypt and could not legally be exported as currency. The L Β regnal date confirms this piece falls in Gordian's second Egyptian year.