Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 121 6-8 Oct 2022
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Jotapian. Usurper, circa AD 248-249. Antoninianus (22mm, 3.25 g, 6h). Nicopolis in Seleucia mint. IM C M F RV IOTΛPIΛNVS, radiate and cuirassed bust right / VICT ORIA AVG, Victory advancing left, holding wreath in right hand and palm frond in left. RIC IV 2c var. (obv. legend); Bland 6b (Obv. die III/Rev. die iv – this coin); RSC 2. Toned, roughness, deposits, chips on obverse. Near VF. Rare.
From the Conti Collection. Ex Thomas Bentley Cederlind inventory RI5701 (ND); Malloy V (15 March 1975), lot 832.
Jotapian led a short-lived revolt in Syria in the autumn of AD 249 while Philip I was still emperor. Little is known of Jotapian's background. It was said that he boasted of a relationship to Severus Alexander, and his unusual name, although otherwise unknown for a man, is attested in its feminine form "Jotape" in the royal houses of Commagene and Emesa. The extreme rarity of his coins indicates that the revolt was brief, and the crude style proves that the revolt was geographically confined, for Jotapian plainly did not control a major Roman mint. His head was brought to Rome and shown to Trajan Decius "as was customary, although Decius had not asked for it" (Aur. Vict., Caes. 29.4). In his corpus of Jotapian's coins, Bland knew of eighteen genuine antoniniani in total, including this coin.
From the Conti Collection. Ex Thomas Bentley Cederlind inventory RI5701 (ND); Malloy V (15 March 1975), lot 832.
Jotapian led a short-lived revolt in Syria in the autumn of AD 249 while Philip I was still emperor. Little is known of Jotapian's background. It was said that he boasted of a relationship to Severus Alexander, and his unusual name, although otherwise unknown for a man, is attested in its feminine form "Jotape" in the royal houses of Commagene and Emesa. The extreme rarity of his coins indicates that the revolt was brief, and the crude style proves that the revolt was geographically confined, for Jotapian plainly did not control a major Roman mint. His head was brought to Rome and shown to Trajan Decius "as was customary, although Decius had not asked for it" (Aur. Vict., Caes. 29.4). In his corpus of Jotapian's coins, Bland knew of eighteen genuine antoniniani in total, including this coin.