Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XIX 26-27 Mar 2020
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Uranius Antoninus BI Tetradrachm of Emesa, Seleucis and Pieria. AD 253-254. AVTOK K COVΛΠ ANTѠNINOC. laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / ΔHMAPX ЄΞ OVCIAC, eagle standing facing with wings spread, head to left, holding wreath in beak; SC below wings, ЄMICA in exergue. Baldus 8; Prieur 1029 (this coin); RPC IX 1866/2 (this coin cited and illustrated). 11.36g, 26mm, 6h.
Good Very Fine. Extremely Rare; just two examples recorded by Prieur, and a further two in CoinArchives.
This coin published in M. Prieur, A Type Corpus of The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and Their Fractions from 57 BC to AD 253 (Lancaster, 2000);
This coin published in J. Mairat and A. Holstein, Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. IX (London, 2016);
Ex Michel Prieur Collection;
Ex Classical Numismatic Group - Numismatica Ars Classica - Freeman & Sear, Triton I, 2 December 1997, lot 710.
Among the least known and most mysterious of Roman emperors, until recently the only historical source on Uranius Antoninus was the coinage minted in his name. Depictions of the cult-stone of Emesa on some reverses indicate that he was part of the same hereditary priesthood as another Syrian emperor, Elagabalus. A recent re-evaluation of stone reliefs in Iran, which depict the conclusion of Shapur I's campaign near Emesa, also support the theory that Uranius Antoninus came to power by leading the Roman forces against Shapur's incursion (Overlaet, 'A Roman Emperor at Bishapur...', Iranica Antiqua, vol. XLIV).
Good Very Fine. Extremely Rare; just two examples recorded by Prieur, and a further two in CoinArchives.
This coin published in M. Prieur, A Type Corpus of The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms and Their Fractions from 57 BC to AD 253 (Lancaster, 2000);
This coin published in J. Mairat and A. Holstein, Roman Provincial Coinage, vol. IX (London, 2016);
Ex Michel Prieur Collection;
Ex Classical Numismatic Group - Numismatica Ars Classica - Freeman & Sear, Triton I, 2 December 1997, lot 710.
Among the least known and most mysterious of Roman emperors, until recently the only historical source on Uranius Antoninus was the coinage minted in his name. Depictions of the cult-stone of Emesa on some reverses indicate that he was part of the same hereditary priesthood as another Syrian emperor, Elagabalus. A recent re-evaluation of stone reliefs in Iran, which depict the conclusion of Shapur I's campaign near Emesa, also support the theory that Uranius Antoninus came to power by leading the Roman forces against Shapur's incursion (Overlaet, 'A Roman Emperor at Bishapur...', Iranica Antiqua, vol. XLIV).