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Tetradrachm - Probus Homonoia, Alexandria
| Issuer | Alexandria Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 279-280 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Laureate and cuirassed bust of Emperor Probus facing right, with short beard and strong facial features characteristic of late third-century Alexandrian portraiture. The emperor is depicted wearing a paludamentum (military cloak) over segmented cuirass armor, rendered in bold relief. The obverse legend encircles the effigy in Greek majuscule letters, naming the emperor with his full imperial titulature. The portrait style reflects the vigorous, somewhat idealized treatment typical of Alexandrian tetradrachms of the period. |
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| Reverse lettering | L Є (Translation: L : `Alexandria`. Є : `Year `5`.) |
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| Additional information |
Struck in Diocletian's predecessor's final regnal year, this piece dates to a moment when Probus was consolidating control after years of military usurpers — he had already eliminated Florianus, Saturninus, Proculus, and Bonosus. The Homonoia type was a deliberate political message: concordance between emperor and province, minted in a city that had backed the wrong side in more than one succession crisis.
Alexandria's billon tetradrachms of this period are notorious for wildly inconsistent silver wash, and Milne's cataloguing of the 4594 series reflects die variations that suggest multiple working dies in circulation simultaneously.