Kingdom Of Osrhoene / Osroene / Edessa Ae13 167-179 Ad

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 476
Spence Moderator United States 34397 Posts	Posted 04/04/2024 9:47 pm Here is another recent SARC pick-up for me. This one is a little off the beaten path though. The Kingdom of Edessa was nestled between Rome and Parthia in Upper Mesopotamia ( and what is now Turkey). According to an earlier auction by Leu Numismatik, Quote: The Kingdom of Osrhoene was situated in a particularly volatile geographical location and hence prone to interventions by the two neighboring superpowers Rome and Parthia. In 163, the Parthian King Vologases III expelled Ma'nu VIII from Edessa and replaced him with his brother Waël, but the Roman counteroffensive under Lucius Verus' able general Avidius Cassius soon turned the tide in Ma'nu's favor again. Having returned from his exile, the new (and old) King added the epithet Philoromaios ('friend of the Romans') to his name in gratitude. Ma'nu also started issuing silver coins with the portraits of the Roman imperial family and Greek legends, and bronze coins with his own image and his name in the local Syriac Es#7789;rang#275;l#257; script. The present coin, however, is part of an extremely rare bronze issue showing not the King's portrait with a tiara but a bare-headed and bearded bust. It probably is a hybrid between the imperial silver and the royal bronze types, combining the name of the King Ma'nu with the portrait of his Roman overlord Lucius Verus. I don't believe a similar coin has been posted to CCF before and there are only a couple listed on acsearch (this coin: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=12114042) and zeno.ru (this coin: https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=243847). It dates to Ma'nu VIII's second reign which fell roughly between 167 and 179 AD. The reverse reads "Ma'nu King" in Syriac. The diameter is 13 mm and the weight is 0.95 g. It has been attributed as BMC p. c and plate L #9. This is part of an effort of mine to learn a little bit more about the pre- and early-Dark Ages, but through lenses other than Roman and Byzantine. Lots to learn! "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff

Kamnaskires Pillar of the Community United States 7066 Posts	Posted 04/04/2024 10:45 pm Neat coin and post, Dave. Definitely off the beaten path. Thanks for the show-and-tell...very interesting. Report this Post to the Staff
erafjel Pillar of the Community Sweden 2124 Posts	Posted 04/05/2024 03:31 am Very interesting indeed, Spence. Thanks for sharing! Report this Post to the Staff
Novicius Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 1168 Posts	Posted 04/05/2024 06:13 am with the above A really interesting coin and write-up. Thanks for sharing. Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34397 Posts	Posted 04/05/2024 1:18 pm Thx for the kind words all. Those Romans and Parthians were bullies a bit, so not as much is known about their weaker neighbors. I feel like this coin provides a little insight into the Kingdom of Edessa. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff
paralyse Bedrock of the Community United States 12057 Posts	Posted 04/05/2024 6:23 pm This forum always has the most amazing write-ups! It's been extensively contested for such a relatively small area, between Greeks, Romans, Parthians, Sasanians, Byzantines, Syriacs and Turks. I first learned about Edessa through Jack Whyte's splendid Templar Trilogy. Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 188026 Posts	Posted 04/06/2024 10:16 am Fantastic pickup! Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
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