Nomos AG
obolos 4 21 February 2016
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MYSIA, Hadrianotherai. Hadrian, 117-138. Bronze (16mm, 2.55 g 6), after 123. [AΔ]PIANOC AY[ΓOYCTOC] Bare head of Hadrian to right. Rev. AΔPIANOΘHPITN Head of she-bear to left. AMNG 565. SNG France 1091. Rare. A fascinating coin with a lovely reverse. Nearly very fine.
This is a lovely little coin, which comes with a fascinating story. The type can be explained thanks to a related medallion that was struck in honor of Hadrian's favorite Antinoos: there the bear head comes with the two-word legend AΔPIANOY ΘHPA, (i.e., Hadrian's hunt see AMNG Mysia 569-570). Another issue, this time struck for Hadrian himself, shows us the actual bear hunt: the emperor is riding a horse to the right, spearing the fleeing bear (AMNG 564). This means that the city of Hadrianotherai, the name of which is best translated to mean Hadrian's hunts or Hadrian's hunting expeditions, was founded by the emperor in order to commemorate a series of hunting expeditions, held during his stay in Mysia in 123, that resulted in his killing of a bear. In fact, considering that Hadrian met Antinoos in Mysia, and regarding the impressive medallions Hadrianotherai later issued in his honor, it seems likely that the young boy accompanied the emperor during his hunting expeditions. This assumption is further reinforced by the lack of any coins in honor of Antinoos struck by Hadrian's other foundations in Mysia, Hadrianeia and Hadrianoi ad Olympum.
This is a lovely little coin, which comes with a fascinating story. The type can be explained thanks to a related medallion that was struck in honor of Hadrian's favorite Antinoos: there the bear head comes with the two-word legend AΔPIANOY ΘHPA, (i.e., Hadrian's hunt see AMNG Mysia 569-570). Another issue, this time struck for Hadrian himself, shows us the actual bear hunt: the emperor is riding a horse to the right, spearing the fleeing bear (AMNG 564). This means that the city of Hadrianotherai, the name of which is best translated to mean Hadrian's hunts or Hadrian's hunting expeditions, was founded by the emperor in order to commemorate a series of hunting expeditions, held during his stay in Mysia in 123, that resulted in his killing of a bear. In fact, considering that Hadrian met Antinoos in Mysia, and regarding the impressive medallions Hadrianotherai later issued in his honor, it seems likely that the young boy accompanied the emperor during his hunting expeditions. This assumption is further reinforced by the lack of any coins in honor of Antinoos struck by Hadrian's other foundations in Mysia, Hadrianeia and Hadrianoi ad Olympum.