Indice Dietro Avanti
Pentassarion, Elaeusa-Sebaste, Valerian I, Zeus
31.5.2020

..da Monete Imperiali Romane di Michele Monti.
Dear friends, can anybody help me identifying the following Pentassarion (?).
Size: 33mm, weight: 13.9g.
Zeus seated.
What emperor, city/area is this, what do you mean?
Thanks a lot in advance!
4
fig. 1
Cliccare sulle immagini per ingrandire
Rome, 9.6.2020
Dear,
significant elements concerning the above
coin are shown below:

Pentassarion1, Elaeusa-Sebaste2, 253-260 d. C.

Short description (worn or otherwise no longer readable parts of the legend are indicated in red):
D. AVT K Π ΛIK OVALHRIANOC3. Valerian I, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R. CEBA-CTH IEΡ-AC AYT NAVAΡXIC4. ΠCΡ ΔET5, left and right on three lines.  Zeus seated left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre6.

The search on the web for coins of the type of figure gave rise to the following results:

  1. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5841530 Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com/ Electronic Auction 442 775 17.04.2019 Description: Provincial Coinage. ISLANDS off CILICIA, Elaeussa Sebaste. Valerian I. AD 253-260. Æ (33mm, 15.19g, 6h). AVT K Π Λ[IK OY]AΛЄPIANO C, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / [CЄBACTH IЄPA] AV NAVAP-XIC, Zeus seated left, holding thunderbolt and scepter; Π/C/P in left field, Δ/Є/T in right field. SNG BN –; SNG Levante –; SNG Leypold 2725. VF, black patina with earthen deposits. Ex Mūnz Zentrum 156 (1 September 2010), lot 340.
  2. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6693808 Themis Numismatics Auction 5 401 04.01.2020 Description: Roman Provincial CILICIA, Elaeussa Sebaste. Valerian I. AD 253-260 AE. Obv: VT K Π Λ[IK OY]AΛЄPIANO C. laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: [CЄBACTH IЄPA] AV NAVAP-XIC, Zeus seated left, holding thunderbolt and scepter; Π/C/P in left field, Δ/Є/T in right field. SNG BN –; SNG Levante –; SNG Leypold 2725. 14,31g 31mm.
  3. http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/valerian_I/_elaeusaSebaste_Ziegler_579.jpg Valerian, AE34 of Elaeusa-Sebaste, Cilicia. 253-260 AD. 10.74g AVT K P AIK OVALHRIANOC, laureate, draped bust right CEBACTH IERAC AYT NAYARXIS PSR DET, Zeus seated left, holding sceptre and winged thunderbolt. Ziegler 579 (this coin). extremely rare. With permission of Münzen Ritter, May 2013. Elaeusa-Sebaste. Ziegler 579 Valerian, AE34 of Elaeusa-Sebaste, Cilicia. 253-260 AD. 10.74g. AVT K Π ΛIK OYAΛHΡIANOC, laureate, draped bust right / CEBACTH IEΡAC AYT NAYAΡXIC ΠΣΡ ΔET, Zeus seated left, holding sceptre and winged thunderbolt. Ziegler 579 (this coin).
I conclude observing that physical, general and style characteristics of the figure coin are comparable with those of the period.

Best regards
Giulio De Florio

-------------------------------

Note:

(1) The physical characteristics of pentassaria from the links above are shown below:

Riferimenti Peso (g.)  Asse di conio (ore) Diametro (mm)
link 1 15,19 6 33
link 2 14,31 - 31
link 3 10,74 - -
Examination of the tabulated data shows that the pentassarion of figure has physical characteristics (13.9g, 33mm, 6h) comparable with those of coins of the same type found in the web.
(2) Elaeusa-Sebaste in Cilicia. The site was originally an island (now connected to the mainland) off the eastern coast of Cilicia Tracheia. The original name of the city, Elaeusa, was changed to Sebaste by Archelaus of Cappadocia when he gained control of Cilicia Tracheia in 20BC. The site is near the modern village of Merdivenlikuyu ( view map).
(3) AVT K P ΛIK OVALHRIANOC (ΑVTokράτωρ Kaíσαρ Πούπλιος ΛIKίννιος OVALHRIANOC, equivalent to Latin "Imperator Caesar Publius Licinius VALERIANVS").  Valerian was Roman Emperor from 22 October 253 AD to spring 260 AD. He was taken captive by the Persian Emperor, Shapur I, after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the first Roman emperor to be captured as a prisoner of war, causing shock and instability throughout the Roman Empire. The submission of Valerian I, captured in Edessa, was carved in the rock at Nagsha Röstam at the behest of Sapore. To give an idea of ​​the geographic dimensions of the Persian Empire, I have shown on the map below the position of Edessa in Asia Minor where Valerian was captured and that of Nagsha Röstam, the place of rock sculpture in the heart of Persia.

The rock sculpture, truly impressive for its symbolism, is commented in another page of the site.
(4) CE BA-CTH IEΡ AC AYT NAVAΡXIC (CЄΒΑCΤΗ ΙΕΡα ΑCυλος ΑΥΤονομος ΝΑΥαρχις), the city name reported in the coin reverse sounds like "Sebaste holy asylum autonomous admiral" (see Snible).
(5) ΠCΡ ΔET. The letters ΠΣΡ and ΔΕΤ also appear on other coins of Valerian for Elaeusa, as well as on certain pieces of Gordian for this city. Professor Hubble suggests that, as on coins of Side (Head, Hist. Num., p. 704), we have here Π(ιστής) Σ(υμμάχου) 'Ρ(ωμαίωυ), which means "faithful ally of the Romans". Since Elaeusa was "autonomous", it might also have been "σύμμαχος" (ally) although there is no evidence for this. The ΔΕΤ seems to be Δ(ωρ∊αῑς) 'Ε(ξαιρέταις) Τ(ƐτƐιμημέυης) which means "Donation Exceptional Distribution" (see link).
(6) The god in the reverse is Zeus, recognizable by his attributes, thunderbolt and scepter.
Indice Dietro Avanti