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Stater - Rhescuporis II Caracalla
| Issuer | Bosporan Kingdom (Bosporos) |
|---|---|
| Year | 218 |
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| Composition | Electrum |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Laureate head of the Roman Emperor Caracalla facing right, rendered in the Roman imperial portrait style typical of Bosporan coinage that juxtaposed local and Roman rulership. A symbol — either absent or a star — appears in the field before the portrait. The Bosporan era date ΔIΦ (514 of the Bosporan era, corresponding to 218 AD) is inscribed in the lower field or exergue below the bust. The pairing of the Bosporan king on the obverse with the Roman emperor on the reverse reflects the political dependency of the kingdom on Rome. |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Rhescuporis II ruled the Bosporan Kingdom as a client of Rome, and his coinage reflects that dependency directly — Caracalla's portrait appeared on Bosporan staters as a diplomatic gesture, acknowledging the emperor whose favor kept the dynasty in power. Caracalla was assassinated in April 217, making 218 a transitional year when the Bosporan mint was effectively commemorating a dead emperor while Macrinus briefly held power in Rome. The electrum content of Bosporan staters had been declining for generations by this point, a slow debasement that accelerated through the third century.