Leu Numismatik AG
Auction 7 24-25 Oct 2020
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BITHYNIA. Nicomedia. Gordian III, 238-244. Weight of 1/2 Libra (Lead, 85x102 mm, 267.43 g), Iulius Octavius Volusenna Rogatianus, legatus pro praetore of Pontus and Bithynia, and the agoranomos of the city, M. Aurelius E[...]. RY 4 of Gordian III = 240/1. E/T૪/C Δ A/[Y]TOK/[PATOPO/[C KAIC]APO/[C M A]NTΩ/[NIO]Y ΓOPΔI/ANOY E[YCE]B/OYC EYTYX૪C / CEBACTOY. Rev. ... / THC ΕΠ/ΑΡΧΙΑC .. / ΙΟ[Υ]ΛΙΟΥ ΟΚ/[ΤΑ]OY ΟΥΟΛΟ/CEPNA POΓAΤI/ANOY ΠPECBE/YTOY KAI ANTICT/PATHΓ૪ TOY CEB/AC[TOY] / AΓOPΑNΟΜ૪ΝΤΟC / Μ AYPH[ΛI]૪ E.... CPAI -. Pondera -. Of the highest rarity, apparently the second known example and of great interest. Some deposits, otherwise, very fine.
C. Iulius Octavius Volusenna Rogatianus is attested as a legatus pro praetore from a similar weight dated by W. Weck to the sole reign of Valerian (W. Eck: C. Iulius Octavius Volusenna Rogatianus. Statthalter einer kaiserlichen Provinz, in: ZPE 90 (1992), pp. 199-206), but the name of the emperor was, as our weight shows, very likely misread and designates Gordian III as well. Thus, the tenure of office of Rogatianus as governor of Pontus and Bithynia can be moved from the early 250s to the late 230s and early 240s, placing him between D. Simonius Proculus Iulianus (shortly before 239) and Ti. Claudius Attalus Paterclianus (23 September 243-early 244). As some of these impressive lead weights were found in the vicinity of Nicomedia, it is commonly assumed that they name the legati pro praetore of the province of Pontus and Bithynia (see also above, lot 2006), and were manufactured in the provincial capital Nicomedia under the supervision of the agoranomos of the city, who is usually named alongside the governor on the reverse. The obverse, on the other hand, provides the regnal year, name and titles of the emperor in Greek, in the case of our example, that is 'Year 4 of the Imperator Caesar M. Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus'.
C. Iulius Octavius Volusenna Rogatianus is attested as a legatus pro praetore from a similar weight dated by W. Weck to the sole reign of Valerian (W. Eck: C. Iulius Octavius Volusenna Rogatianus. Statthalter einer kaiserlichen Provinz, in: ZPE 90 (1992), pp. 199-206), but the name of the emperor was, as our weight shows, very likely misread and designates Gordian III as well. Thus, the tenure of office of Rogatianus as governor of Pontus and Bithynia can be moved from the early 250s to the late 230s and early 240s, placing him between D. Simonius Proculus Iulianus (shortly before 239) and Ti. Claudius Attalus Paterclianus (23 September 243-early 244). As some of these impressive lead weights were found in the vicinity of Nicomedia, it is commonly assumed that they name the legati pro praetore of the province of Pontus and Bithynia (see also above, lot 2006), and were manufactured in the provincial capital Nicomedia under the supervision of the agoranomos of the city, who is usually named alongside the governor on the reverse. The obverse, on the other hand, provides the regnal year, name and titles of the emperor in Greek, in the case of our example, that is 'Year 4 of the Imperator Caesar M. Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus'.