Mesembria, Tranquillina, 4 unit — Nude Dionysus standing left (CN type 1647)
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
AD 241–244
Issuing entity
Thrace4 unit in bronze struck at Mesembria in Thrace under Tranquillina, dated AD 241–244. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 1647 (period: Roman Imperial Period; issuing authority type: city).
Obverse: Confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate, wearing cuirass and paludamentum, and of Tranquillina, diademed and draped. Legend: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΥΓ ϹΕΒ ΤΡΑΝΚΥΛΛΙΝΑ. Reverse: Nude Dionysus standing left, wearing boots, holding cantharus and thyrsus. Legend: ΜΕϹΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 10.83 g (mean of 2 recorded specimens) and a diameter of 25–26.1 mm (from 2 recorded specimens).
Published references cited by the corpus: Karayotov, The Coinage of Mesambria: Bronze Coins of Mesambria, Sozopol 2009, p. 408, nr. 89.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 3
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 1
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Struck in the Thracian city of Mesembria, this civic issue reflects the joint imperial imagery of the Roman Imperial Period between AD 241 and 244. Gordian III reigned as Roman emperor from 238 to 244 after becoming the second-youngest sole ruler of the united Roman Empire at the age of 13. Furia Sabinia Tranquillina, daughter of the Praetorian Prefect Timesitheus, became Empress of Rome upon her marriage to the young emperor.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- bronze
- Denomination
- 4 unit
- Recorded diameter
- 25–26.1 mm (from 2 recorded specimens)
- Recorded mean weight
- 10.83 g (mean of 2 recorded specimens)
Technical characteristics
- Mint
- Mesembria
- Region
- Thrace
- Authority type
- City
- Issuing authority
- Tranquillina
Design
- Obverse type
- Confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate, wearing cuirass and paludamentum, and of Tranquillina, diademed and draped.
- Reverse type
- Nude Dionysus standing left, wearing boots, holding cantharus and thyrsus.
- Obverse legend
- ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΥΓ ϹΕΒ ΤΡΑΝΚΥΛΛΙΝΑ
- Reverse legend
- ΜΕϹΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ
Identification
- Period
- Roman Imperial Period
- How to identify
- Check the mint name or ethnic, the reverse type and the legend together, then compare weight and module; types from the same mint often differ only in legend arrangement, magistrate names or control marks.
- Type corpus record
- https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/1647
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 1647
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Recorded
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Recorded
- Mint or printer
- Recorded
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Recorded
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographyp. 408, nr. 89
Research required
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution