DOI Heft:
Artykuły/Articles
DOI Artikel:The Roman Imperial Coinage Model for Some Provincial of Bithynia and Pontus Struck During the Reign of Trajan (98-117)
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57341#0131
THE ROMAN IMPERIAL COINAGE MODEL...
to 103/104 (the year 149 from the foundation of the colony), 107/108 (the year 153),
and 109/110 (the year 155). The coins of Amisus were struck in 98 (the year 129),
98/99 (the year 130), 106/107 (the year 138), 108/109 (the year 140), and 113/114
(the year 145).22 The number of Trajan’s consulships (COS II, COS III) can be found
on coins from Apamea Myrlea, a Roman colony, thus showing that these coins
were issued in 98 and 100.23 No dates are indicated on the coins from Heraclea and
Tium, but, on the basis of features from portraits on imperial coins, they can be
assigned to three time periods: one between 98 and 102, another between 103 and
114, and a third between 114 and 116.24 The coins from Amastris, which were issued
at the beginning of Trajan’s reign and then again after he received the nicknames
Optimus and Parthicus, can be grouped in a similar fashion.25
1 Coins from Bithynia and Pontus usually had a portrait of the emperor on
the obverse. Only four centres in the province - Byzantium, Amastris, Sinope,
and Amisus - also issued pseudo-autonomous coins, probably during this period.26
These were single types with images of Byzas (Byzantium), Dionysus, Helios
(Amastris), and Diogenes (Sinope). In turn, images of Nike, Dionysus, Aphrodite,
and Athena appeared on the coins of Amisus.27 The emperor was usually portrayed
with a laurel wreath or, somewhat less commonly, wearing a radiate crown.
This latter element only appeared on coins from Calchedon, Byzantium, Tium,
and Sinope.28 In imperial coinage, the corona radialis served as an indicator of
the denomination. In provincial coinage, this element was rather standard and did
not serve as an indicator.29 It appeared on the coins of Byzantium on numerous
different denominations.30 On issues of identical size (25-26 mm, 9-12 g) that
were struck in Tium, the emperor appeared both in a laurel wreath and in a radiate
crown.31 It may be that the corona radialis indicated separate denominations in
22 Apamea RPC III 1029-1031; Amastris RPC III; Sinope RPC III 1217-1219; Amisus RPC III 1231-
1244; WOYTEK 2011.
23 RPC III 1029-1031.
24 AMANDRY, BURNETT et AL 2015: 139-141.
25 Ibidem'. 139, 141 and 143.
26 Because no portrait of the emperor appears, and because there is no issue date on some of the coins, it is
often difficult to determine when certain pseudo-autonomous coins were struck. When this is the case, other features
of the coins are taken into account, such as the style of execution or the iconographic types. ZAJĄC 2018: 80-85.
27 Byzantium: Byzas RPC III 1088; Amastris: Dionysus RPC III 1209, Helios RPC III 1210; Sinope:
Diogenes RPC III 1230; Amisus: Nike RPC III 1231-1233, Dionysus RPC III 1235, Aphrodite RPC III 1239,
Athena RPC III 1297.
28 Calchedon RPC III 1061; Byzantium RPC III 1072-1083A; Tium RPC III 1180; Sinope RPC III 1219.
29 BUTCHER 1988: 40-44; AMANDRY, BURNETT et AL 2015: 843.
30 Byzantium: 26-30 mm, 10-15 g (RPC III 1071-1074), 24 mm, 7-9 g (RPC III 1077-1079); 18-21 mm,
5-7 g (RPC III 1080-1082).
31 Tium: RPC III 1180-1182.
129
to 103/104 (the year 149 from the foundation of the colony), 107/108 (the year 153),
and 109/110 (the year 155). The coins of Amisus were struck in 98 (the year 129),
98/99 (the year 130), 106/107 (the year 138), 108/109 (the year 140), and 113/114
(the year 145).22 The number of Trajan’s consulships (COS II, COS III) can be found
on coins from Apamea Myrlea, a Roman colony, thus showing that these coins
were issued in 98 and 100.23 No dates are indicated on the coins from Heraclea and
Tium, but, on the basis of features from portraits on imperial coins, they can be
assigned to three time periods: one between 98 and 102, another between 103 and
114, and a third between 114 and 116.24 The coins from Amastris, which were issued
at the beginning of Trajan’s reign and then again after he received the nicknames
Optimus and Parthicus, can be grouped in a similar fashion.25
1 Coins from Bithynia and Pontus usually had a portrait of the emperor on
the obverse. Only four centres in the province - Byzantium, Amastris, Sinope,
and Amisus - also issued pseudo-autonomous coins, probably during this period.26
These were single types with images of Byzas (Byzantium), Dionysus, Helios
(Amastris), and Diogenes (Sinope). In turn, images of Nike, Dionysus, Aphrodite,
and Athena appeared on the coins of Amisus.27 The emperor was usually portrayed
with a laurel wreath or, somewhat less commonly, wearing a radiate crown.
This latter element only appeared on coins from Calchedon, Byzantium, Tium,
and Sinope.28 In imperial coinage, the corona radialis served as an indicator of
the denomination. In provincial coinage, this element was rather standard and did
not serve as an indicator.29 It appeared on the coins of Byzantium on numerous
different denominations.30 On issues of identical size (25-26 mm, 9-12 g) that
were struck in Tium, the emperor appeared both in a laurel wreath and in a radiate
crown.31 It may be that the corona radialis indicated separate denominations in
22 Apamea RPC III 1029-1031; Amastris RPC III; Sinope RPC III 1217-1219; Amisus RPC III 1231-
1244; WOYTEK 2011.
23 RPC III 1029-1031.
24 AMANDRY, BURNETT et AL 2015: 139-141.
25 Ibidem'. 139, 141 and 143.
26 Because no portrait of the emperor appears, and because there is no issue date on some of the coins, it is
often difficult to determine when certain pseudo-autonomous coins were struck. When this is the case, other features
of the coins are taken into account, such as the style of execution or the iconographic types. ZAJĄC 2018: 80-85.
27 Byzantium: Byzas RPC III 1088; Amastris: Dionysus RPC III 1209, Helios RPC III 1210; Sinope:
Diogenes RPC III 1230; Amisus: Nike RPC III 1231-1233, Dionysus RPC III 1235, Aphrodite RPC III 1239,
Athena RPC III 1297.
28 Calchedon RPC III 1061; Byzantium RPC III 1072-1083A; Tium RPC III 1180; Sinope RPC III 1219.
29 BUTCHER 1988: 40-44; AMANDRY, BURNETT et AL 2015: 843.
30 Byzantium: 26-30 mm, 10-15 g (RPC III 1071-1074), 24 mm, 7-9 g (RPC III 1077-1079); 18-21 mm,
5-7 g (RPC III 1080-1082).
31 Tium: RPC III 1180-1182.
129