Notae Numismaticae - Zapiski Numizmatyczne (2.1997)

empire because it prevented her from becoming idolized. In Rome, mo-
urning of the deceased confirmed that he was human.68

Philip’s schemes suggest that he did not mourn Livia as just a human
being. Rather he favored her deification, which, incidentally, came to pass
in AD 41 under emperor Claudius.69 In the light of these facts, the absence
of the coin in AD 29 is hardly surprising, even less so for the fact that the
tetrarch could not afford to challenge Tiberius. But in AD 30 things had
changed. The coin showing a hand holding ears of grain pointed to Tivia’s
divinity and, we remember, was associated with Abundantia personified.
Similarly the coin with the joint image of Augustus and Tivia and inscription
XEBAXTQN suggests an equal status of both, even if the empress was not
granted the title of Augusta until after August’s death. The coin may also
have been a reminder that Philip received his power not from Tiberius - as
Pilate did - but from Augustus, whose beloved wife was Tivia.70 It is another
example of propaganda rivalry between the tetrarch of Iturea and the pre-
fect of Judea.

Unlike his brother Antipas, Philip did not mark his mint on his coins.
It is commonly believed that he struck his coins in Caesarea Philippi.71
That it was the case is suggested by later clues on the existence of a mint
in that city, its early foundation (1 AD), and the absence of evidence on a
mint in another location. Strickert suggests that the first four issues were
indeed struck in Caesarea but in AD 26 the mint was moved to Bethsaida.
It seems that in his later years Philip indeed favored Bethsaida/Julias,
where he would be buried.72 Strickert quotes some arguments to support
his point. First, after AD 26 coins are struck with greater precision, altho-
ugh this is not a highly convincing proof. Secondly, in AD 26 the inscrip-
tion was changed from TdAIIinOY TETPAPXOY to EE1I OIAIEUIOY
TETPAPXOY. Thirdly, the mintings of AD 30 and 33 make more sense if
they were issued in Julias. Yet can we decide about mint location from the
sense that an minting makes or fails to make? Finally, in AD 26, 29, 30,
and 33 many coins with a portrait of Tiberius bear a laurel branch. It does
not appear on any earlier pieces. Strickert suggests that it may be a reed

68 Dio Chrysostom 58, 2

69 Suetonius, Claudius, 11

F. Strickert, op. cit., p. 184
Y. Meshorer, op. cit., II, pp. 42-43
72 Flavius Josephus, Ant, XVIII, IV, 106-108

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