• m13-184-0001-10
    Obverse. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)
  • m13-184-0001-20
    Reverse. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Roman Bronze/Copper Alloy 1 Assarion of Sardis

Monograph 13: Coins from the Excavations at Sardis: Their Archaeological and Economic Contexts (2018) Cat. 184.0001
Date
140 AD - 160 AD, Roman
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
1979.1847
Material
Bronze/Copper Alloy
Object Type
Coin
Coin Denomination
1 Assarion
Coin Mint
Sardis
Issuers
Dairos
Officina
Has Mint Mark
no
Has Control Mark
no
Has Monogram
no
Has Countermark
no
Hoard
Monograph 13 Catalog No.
184
Site
Sardis
Sector
MMS/N
Trench
MMS/N 79.W
B-Grid Coordinates
E128 / S21 *98.01
Description
This coin type: Obverse: Head of young Dionysos r. wreathed in ivy ЄΠΙ ΔΑIΡΙΟΥ ; Reverse: Torch CAPΔIANΩΝ.
Condition
Excellent
Dimensions
Weight: 2.50g; Diameter: 21mm.
Comments
The magistrate’s name is also on coins of Antoninus Pius and M. Aurelius (BMC Lydia p. 257 no. 138, p. 258 nos. 141-44) and the style of the engraving looks much like the latter (especially with isolated cult implements). The winged caduceus reverse of Aurelius with a different magistrate’s name is surely by same die engraver. He makes small dies for the flan, beautifully proportioned busts (with heads tilted slightly up), leaving much room between the head and beaded border (with dots so small it almost looks like a line border) and a great deal of space between sparse letters on legends. Flans are thin. Uses same dies are 184.0003 and 1961.C61.0059.
See Also
Bibliography
SNG v Aulock 8: 3139
Author
JDE

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