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Tetradrachm - Trajan Decius ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC, Antioch
| Issuer | Antioch on the Orontes |
|---|---|
| Year | 250-251 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | A large eagle stands facing, head turned sharply to the left, with wings spread and tips lowered in the characteristic pose of Syrian tetradrachms of this period. The bird stands on a dotted exergual line, beneath which the Latin senatorial mark S C (Senatus Consulto) appears in the lower field, emphasizing the coin's dual Roman-provincial authority. The surrounding Greek legend ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ƐΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ proclaims the emperor's tribunician power, running around the periphery. The eagle's finely chased feathers and powerful stance reflect the skilled die-cutting tradition of the Antioch mint. The field retains traces of original silvering typical of billon issues of this era. |
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| Additional information |
Issued during the sole reign of Trajan Decius, these tetradrachms from the Antioch mint fall squarely within the period of his empire-wide persecution of Christians — the first systematic, centrally organized campaign of its kind, requiring all residents to sacrifice to the Roman gods and obtain a signed certificate of compliance. The mint at Antioch was by this point the dominant producer of billon tetradrachms for the eastern provinces, having effectively absorbed the function of Alexandria's coinage in Syria.
The ΔHMAPX EΞOYCIAC reverse inscription references the tribunician power, a dating device that places this piece in a very narrow window before Decius was killed fighting the Goths at Abritus in June 251.