romancoin.jpg
Posted 01/24/2008 04:22 am
It's a Roman Provincial bronze, of the city of Nicopolis ad Istrum, now known as Nikyup, Bulgaria.
Obverse: Emperor Septimus Severus, the Greek legend reads AV K L SEVEROS (which dates this coin to sometime between 193 and 211 AD).
Reverse: head of the Egyptian deity Serapis, with a modius (grain basket) balanced on his head. The reverse Greek names the city: NIKOPOLIT PROS ISTR. Here's an example on Wildwinds
Coins from this city, and from nearby Markianopolis, are among the most commonly encountered Roman Provincials these days. Since the fall of communism, Bulgaria has proved to be a major source of ancients (and a major source of fakes, though this one looks good enough to me).
Obverse: Emperor Septimus Severus, the Greek legend reads AV K L SEVEROS (which dates this coin to sometime between 193 and 211 AD).
Reverse: head of the Egyptian deity Serapis, with a modius (grain basket) balanced on his head. The reverse Greek names the city: NIKOPOLIT PROS ISTR. Here's an example on Wildwinds
Coins from this city, and from nearby Markianopolis, are among the most commonly encountered Roman Provincials these days. Since the fall of communism, Bulgaria has proved to be a major source of ancients (and a major source of fakes, though this one looks good enough to me).
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
