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Cistophorus - Nerva COS III, Diana of Perge
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 98 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Cistophorus = 3 Drachms = 3 Denarii |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Tetrastyle or distyle temple of Diana of Perge depicted in elevation, with two columns framing the facade set upon a podium of three steps. Within the temple interior, the cult statue of the goddess is shown seated upon a base incorporating a crescent symbol, evoking the lunar and hunting associations of Diana/Artemis as venerated at Perge in Pamphylia. The architectural rendering is schematic but conveys the monumental character of the sanctuary. The reverse legend COS III appears in the field, serving as the primary dating element of the issue. The overall composition reflects the standard iconographic programme of Nerva's cistophoric coinage struck for circulation in Asia Minor. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Nerva's cistophori were struck at Ephesus, continuing a regional coinage tradition stretching back to the Attalid kingdom of Pergamon in the second century BC. The type invoking Diana of Perge is deliberate flattery of the province's religious geography — Perge, in Pamphylia, housed one of the most venerated Artemis cults in the eastern Mediterranean. Nerva, who never visited the East, was nonetheless assiduous about cultivating provincial loyalty through coinage that spoke directly to local religious identity.
COS III dates this issue to 98 AD, the final year of his reign. He died in January of that year.