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Cistophorus - Nerva COS III, Diana of Perge
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 98 |
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| Currency | Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215) |
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| Reverse description | Frontal view of the Temple of Diana of Perge, depicted as a distyle structure raised on a podium of three steps, with two prominent columns framing the composition. Within the temple interior, the archaic cultus-statue of the goddess is shown seated upon a base set within a crescent, evoking the distinctive Pergaean cult image of Diana. The temple frieze bears the inscription DIANA PERG identifying the sanctuary, while the consular legend COS III appears in the field. The rendering reflects the well-established Roman numismatic convention of honoring provincial cult centers on cistophoric coinage. |
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| Mint | Pergamon (Asia Minor) |
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| Additional information |
Cistophori were struck exclusively at Asian mints — almost certainly Pergamum in this case — continuing a tradition of oversized silver coinage that Rome had exploited as a regional currency instrument in the province of Asia since the mid-second century BC. Nerva's third consulship fell in 97–98 AD, the final months of his reign, meaning this piece was struck in the brief window before Trajan's accession in January 98.
The Diana of Perge type signals deliberate engagement with local Anatolian religious identity. Perge's cult of Artemis/Diana was among the most politically significant in the region, and its invocation on an imperial cistophorus was a calculated gesture toward provincial elites whose cooperation Rome consistently needed.