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Lot 237: ROMAN: EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AE Zodiac series. RY 8, 13.58gm 
- Sold Winning Bid: $2,550
- 2 Bid(s)
Description
ROMAN EMPIRE: EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. AE Zodiac series. Dated RY 8 (AD 144/5). 13.58gm, 33mm, Very Rare.
Laureate head right. Venus (Aphrodite) in Libra: Diademed and draped bust left of Aphrodite; before her, star of eight rays; behind her, H ( date); below, male figure (Libra) horizontal to left ("floating" attitude), looking back over his shoulder, lower half of his body draped, holding scales with his right hand; to his left, L.
One of the better types in the Alexandrian Zodiac series.
Alexandria saw an immense output of coinage during the eighth year of Antoninus Pius's reign. The Zodiac drachms, mythological types, and a host of issues for the nomes appeared that year. One explanation for this activity centers on the celebration of the renewal of the Great Sothic cycle, the point when the star Sothis (Sirius) rises on the same point on the horizon as the sun. This cycle of 1461 years began early in the reign of Pius in AD 139,and apparently prompted a renewal in the ancient Egyptian religion, while the coin types also stressed the connections to the Greco- Roman Pantheon.
Lot Details
- Offered By: NBJ Art Gallery
- Lot #: 237
- Listing #: 1279360
- Closed: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 12:58:00 PM CT
- Estimate: $4,000