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Sestertius - Kotys II
| Issuer | Bosporan Kingdom (Bosporos) |
|---|---|
| Year | 123-124 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Sestertius (48) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of King Cotys II facing right, the head bare with flowing hair rendered in the Hellenistic tradition. The portrait is depicted with naturalistic facial features characteristic of Bosporan royal coinage of the early 2nd century AD. Surrounding the effigy, a circular Greek legend reads ΒΑϹΙΛΕΩϹ ΚΟΤΥΟϹ, identifying the issuing monarch. The legend is distributed around the full periphery of the coin, beginning at the upper left. The style reflects the hybrid Greco-Roman artistic conventions prevalent in the Bosporan Kingdom during this period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central field bears the Greek numeral MH (denoting 48 units) rendered in bold characters within a decorative wreath composed of two laurel or grain branches tied at the base. Above the wreath, an eagle is depicted with wings spread and a globule or pellet at its center, a symbol of royal and divine authority commonly employed on Bosporan bronze coinage. The overall composition is enclosed within a circular border, with the denominational monogram forming the dominant design element. The die work is typical of provincial Bosporan production, showing robust but somewhat irregular engraving. |
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| Additional information |
Kotys II ruled the Bosporan Kingdom as a client king under Roman suzerainty, and coins of his reign were issued under the dual dating system that synchronized the local Bosporan era with the regnal year — a bureaucratic habit that makes precise attribution possible where it would otherwise be guesswork. His reign falls within the broader Antonine period, when the kingdom functioned as a buffer state controlling access to the Black Sea grain trade that Rome depended on. The Bosporan copper issues of this period circulated in a confined regional economy with no pretense of broader imperial acceptance.