Smyrna’s Third Neocorate

274, Lot: 275. Estimate $300. Sold for $320. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IONIA, Smyrna. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ (34mm, 25.16 g, 6h). Struck AD 212-217. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Three tetrastyle temples: the left temple with a statue of Hadrian within; the central temple with a statue of Roma seated left within; the right temple with a statue of Tiberius within. Klose 24 (V4/R24); SNG Copenhagen 1389 (same dies). VF, brown surfaces, light even roughness.

During the imperial period a city could assume the title ‘Neokoros’ if it built a temple, especially one devoted to the cult of the emperor. The building of the temple required the approval of the emperor and the Senate. Such temples, with their associated cults, titles, and festivals (as well as the commerce these generated) brought prestige to their respective cities. Smyrna was awarded the honor three times, first by Tiberius, second by Hadrian, and finally by Caracalla. This coin shows the temples of Tiberius and Hadrian with the cult statues of each within. However, the central temple has a statue of Roma instead of Caracalla. The reason for this is that a new temple was not built for Caracalla, but the existing temple of Roma was rededicated to his cult.