Eupator ruled the Bosporan Kingdom as a client of Rome, and these staters mark the period when that relationship was being actively renegotiated — Marcus Aurelius had inherited a kingdom under pressure from nomadic incursions along the northern Pontic steppe, and Bosporan gold coinage served the practical function of paying subsidies and maintaining the loyalty of local dynasts. The issues of 170 AD fall squarely within the Marcomannic War years, when Roman attention and resources were stretched thin across multiple frontiers simultaneously.
Anokhin distinguishes 1746 from 1747 on die grounds; collectors should verify the specific pairing before attribution.
Eupator ruled the Bosporan Kingdom as a client of Rome, and these staters mark the period when that relationship was being actively renegotiated — Marcus Aurelius had inherited a kingdom under pressure from nomadic incursions along the northern Pontic steppe, and Bosporan gold coinage served the practical function of paying subsidies and maintaining the loyalty of local dynasts. The issues of 170 AD fall squarely within the Marcomannic War years, when Roman attention and resources were stretched thin across multiple frontiers simultaneously.
Anokhin distinguishes 1746 from 1747 on die grounds; collectors should verify the specific pairing before attribution.