THRACE, Philippopolis. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ (37mm, 26.97 g, 7h). Struck AD 215. Good Fine.

Electronic Auction 536
Lot: 312. Estimated: $ 150

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Sold For $ 180. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

THRACE, Philippopolis. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ (37mm, 26.97 g, 7h). Struck AD 215. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Agonistic table in perspective surmounted by prize urn inscribed ΠYΘIA containing two palm fronds; below, vase and five balls. Varbanov, Philippopolis XV 9.7.1.1 (this coin); Mouchmov, Philippopolis 375; Varbanov 1423. Green patina, minor roughness and smoothing. Good Fine.

The reverse of this coin is one of many similar types struck by Philippopolis to commemorate the Pythian Games (τὰ Πύθια), one of the four Greek Panhellenic Games that occurred in the second year of each four-year Olympic cycle. Held in honor of Apollo, the god of arts and “civilization”, these games featured competitions for music and poetry in addition to feats of athletic skill, and were meant to evoke the best of Greco-Roman culture. This particular event in AD 215, coming as it did during Caracalla’s march east to fight the Persians, must have invested the event with further significance: by situating the occurrence of the games at such a crucial moment, the gods had signaled their approval for Caracalla’s enterprise against the “barbarians.”

Closing Date and Time: 12 April 2023 at 11:43:40 ET.

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