Watch List notes:

BITHYNIA. Nicaea. Commodus, 177-192. Hemiassarion (Bronze, 17 mm, 3.12 g, 4 h). [ΑYΤ Κ Μ ΑΥΡ] ΚΟΜ ΑΝΤωΝ Laureate head of Commodus to right. Rev. ΝΙΚΑΙЄΩΝ Bearded head of Satyr to right, back-section in a liknon. Rec. Gén. 158 corr. (as 'Marcus Aurelius'). RPC online 6024 (4 specimens). Very rare. Good fine.


The liknon (Gr. λἰκνον) was a winnowing-fan closely connected to Dionysos, who is said to have been placed in a liknon as a newborn and therefore bore the epithet Liknites. It played an important role in the worship of the god and the rites around Dionysiac festivities and processions.