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Stater - Kotys I Claudius and Nero
| Issuer | Bosporan Kingdom (Bosporos) |
|---|---|
| Year | 58 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Stater (1) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Bare laureate head of Divus Claudius facing right, rendered in high relief with finely detailed hair bound by a laurel wreath, the ribbons of which fall behind the neck. The portrait displays the characteristic rounded facial features associated with Claudian iconography, with a prominent brow and strong jawline. The field is plain, enclosed within a raised border, and the die work reflects the Hellenistic artistic tradition of the Bosporan royal mint. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Kotys I ruled the Bosporan Kingdom as a client king under Rome, and this stater captures the precise moment that relationship was being renegotiated. In 54 AD, Nero had just succeeded Claudius — whose death Kotys apparently acknowledged slowly enough that both emperors appear on this issue, a numismatic overlap that reflects the awkward lag of imperial news reaching the northern Black Sea shore. The Bosporan gold stater series continued with remarkable consistency across generations of client rulers, functioning as much as diplomatic currency as trade money.