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Stater - Sauromates II Commodus
| Issuer | Bosporan Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 184 |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | Laureate and draped bust of the Roman Emperor Commodus facing right, depicted with curled hair and a short beard characteristic of his portraiture, set within a beaded border. The emperor wears a cuirass and paludamentum, reflecting his imperial military status. The abbreviated Greek date letters ΠΥ appear in the field, denoting Bosporan Era year 480, corresponding to 184 AD. |
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| Additional information |
Sauromates II ruled the Bosporan Kingdom as a client of Rome, and this stater reflects that arrangement precisely — the paired portrait convention linking the local dynast with the reigning emperor was not ceremonial courtesy but a political requirement, visually renewing the relationship with each new reign. When Commodus became emperor in 180 AD, Bosporan dies were updated accordingly. The electrum itself, a debased gold-silver alloy, had been declining in fineness through successive Bosporan reigns, a quiet debasement that mirrored the kingdom's gradual economic fragility along the northern Black Sea coast.