Roman Bronze/Copper Alloy 1 Assarion of Sardis

Date
70 - 80 AD?, Roman
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
1979.1951
Material
Bronze/Copper Alloy
Object Type
Coin
Coin Denomination
1 Assarion
Coin Mint
Sardis
Issuers
Officina
Has Mint Mark
no
Has Control Mark
no
Has Monogram
no
Has Countermark
no
Hoard
Monograph 13 Catalog No.
166
Site
Sardis
Sector
MMS/S
Trench
MMS/S 79.1
B-Grid Coordinates
E105.1 / S114 *102.8
Description
This coin type: Obverse: Bust of young Senate r. IЄPA CYNΚΛΗΤΟC; Reverse: Tetrastyle temple CAPΔΙΑΝΩΝ.
Dimensions
Weight: 2.77g; Diameter: 18mm.
Comments
RPC II suggested a Vespasianic date, while Johnston (in M7, p. 82) favored 100–120, in part due to the style of the coin and in part to the direction of the legend, which runs clockwise. Coins minted under Vespasian have obverses with counterclockwise legends. Johnston also noted a broken-crossbar A, which is found on coins of Marciana and Plotina; thus, she thought the temple on the reverse was Sardis’s first neokorate temple, probably to Hadrian. The authors of RPC noted uncertainty about the coin. They thought the style fitted better in the Vespasianic period, while the legend was more typical of second century issues. Denomination suggested in RPC II, p. 199. Residual in a Late Roman context.
See Also
Bibliography
RPC II: 1309
Author
JDE