Leu Numismatik AG
Web Auction 18 18-21 Dec 2021
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Gallienus, 253-268. Antoninianus (Silvered bronze, 21 mm, 3.45 g, 6 h), Siscia, 264-265. GALLIENVS AVG Radiate and cuirassed bust of Gallienus to right. Rev. SISCIA AVG Siscia seated left, holding fold of drapery with her right hand and raising her left; below, river god Savus swimming left, holding urn from which water flows. Cohen 976. MIR 1416ff. RIC 582. Very rare and among the finest known. A beautiful example with exceptional reverse details. Thin flan crack and minor deposits, otherwise, extremely fine.
The city of Siscia was situated on the confluence of the Savus (Sava) and the Colapis (Kupa) in modern-day Croatia, a strategically important location, as it was here that the Sava became navigable and thus served as a quick and reliable transport route between the important military infrastructure of Northern Italy and the Danube frontier. The appearance of a river god on this very rare issue of Gallienus can thus be easily explained, but it is still exceptional, as such local motives are only very rarely encountered on Roman imperial coins. More than a decade later, under Probus, Siscia would even appear with two river gods on the reverse, symbolizing both the Savus and the Colapis rivers.
The city of Siscia was situated on the confluence of the Savus (Sava) and the Colapis (Kupa) in modern-day Croatia, a strategically important location, as it was here that the Sava became navigable and thus served as a quick and reliable transport route between the important military infrastructure of Northern Italy and the Danube frontier. The appearance of a river god on this very rare issue of Gallienus can thus be easily explained, but it is still exceptional, as such local motives are only very rarely encountered on Roman imperial coins. More than a decade later, under Probus, Siscia would even appear with two river gods on the reverse, symbolizing both the Savus and the Colapis rivers.