Divus Julius Marinus - Father of Philip I the Arab

CNG 84, Lot: 914. Estimate $2000. Sold for $4100. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ARABIA, Philippopolis. Divus Julius Marinus. Died before AD 244. Æ (17mm, 8.83 g, 12h). Bare-headed bust right, with slight drapery on far shoulder, supported by eagle standing right / Roma or Allat standing left, holding phiale and spear; shield at side to left; S-C flanking. Spijkerman 2; SNG ANS 1402 (same dies). VF, tan surfaces, a bit porous. Rare.

The father of Philip I, Julius Marinus hailed from a small town in the province of Arabia (modern day Shuhba, Syria; the original name of the ancient town is unknown). Philip deified his deceased father after ascending the throne and had a temple to him built in his newly aggrandized hometown - now renamed Philippoplis and elevated to the rank of colonia. Philipopolis sank back into relative obscurity following Philip’s death. Minting occured only during his reign, with all coinage featuring either a seated or standing figure of Roma or Allat, an Arabian deity assimilated with Athena (the right breast of the figure never appears to be exposed, making an identification with Allat perhaps more likely. The type with seated figure is, however, never flanked by lions as in most seated sculptural representations). This rare coinage has the peculiarity of carrying Greek legends, despite its status as a colonia.