IONIA, Ephesus. Circa 1st-3rd centuries AD. Æ Tessera (17mm, 2.57 g, 12h). EF.

Electronic Auction 563
Lot: 445.
Closing Date: Jun 5 2024 10:00 ET

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Estimate: $ 500

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IONIA, Ephesus. Circa 1st-3rd centuries AD. Æ Tessera (17mm, 2.57 g, 12h). Bee / Stag kneeling left, head right. Cf. SNG Copenhagen 355; cf. BMC 186; cf. SNG von Aulock 1875 (all with legend variations); Triton XXVII, lot 466 (same dies). Lightly toned orichalcum surfaces, minor porosity. EF.

A number of bronze tesserae of the bee/stag type were struck at the cult center of Ephesus, likely during the 1st-3rd centuries AD, and are distinct from the widely varied lead issues from the same city. The legends on these bronzes cannot be translated and are, for the most part, meaningless mystical formulae, but are most likely related to the apotropaic and healing properties attributed to Artemis of Ephesus. (J. Obermajer, “The Tesserae of Ephesos in the History of Medicine,” in Medical History Vol. 12, No. 3 [1966], pp. 292–4).

Closing Date and Time: 5 June 2024 at 12:28:00 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.