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Orbis Collectibles

Pergamon, Commodus, bronze coin — Two river-gods reclining against each other (CN type 17800)

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · research required

Period

c. AD 180–182

Issuing entity

Mysia

Coin in bronze struck at Pergamon in Mysia under Commodus, dated c. AD 180–182. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 17800 (period: Roman Imperial Period; issuing authority type: city (homonoia)).

Obverse: Laureate bust of lightly bearded Commodus, right, wearing cuirass and paludamentum. Legend: ΑΥ ΚΑΙ Μ ΑΥΡΗ ΚΟΜΟΔΟϹ. Reverse: Two river-gods reclining against each other; the left one leans on a water urn and holds statue of Asclepius, the right one holds cornucopia and statue of Artemis of Ephesos. Legend: ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡ Π ΑΙ ΠΙΟV ΚΟΙΝΟΝ [..] ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 51.15 g (from 1 recorded specimen) and a diameter of 44 mm (from 1 recorded specimen).

Published references cited by the corpus: Heuchert, RPC IV: Roman Provincial Coinage. Vol. IV: From Antoninus Pius to Commodus (AD 138–192). online (temporary), http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/, nr. 3281; Weisser, Die kaiserzeitliche Münzprägung von Pergamon, München 1995, nr. 10.5. T 1290; Franke and Nollé, Die Homonoia-Münzen Kleinasiens und der thrakischen Randgebiete, Saarbrücken 1997, p. 159, nr. 24; Kampmann, Die Homonoia-Verbindungen der Stadt Pergamon, oder, Der Versuch einer kleinasiatischen Stadt unter römischer Herrschaft eigenständige Politik zu betreiben, Saarbrücken 1996, p. 105, nr. 25; Linked type corpus.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
6
Photograph views
1
Catalogue references
5

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Pergamon was an ancient Greek city located in Aeolis on the Caicus river, which served as the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon under the Attalid dynasty from 281 to 133 BC. Commodus was Roman emperor from 177 to 192, reigning alongside his father Marcus Aurelius until 180, when his sole rule began. The coin reflects a homonoia alliance between Pergamon and Ephesus, an ancient Greek city in Ionia famous for its Temple of Artemis.

Physical characteristics

Material
bronze
Recorded diameter
44 mm (from 1 recorded specimens)
Recorded mean weight
51.15 g (mean of 1 recorded specimens)

Technical characteristics

Mint
Pergamon
Region
Mysia
Authority type
City (Homonoia)
Issuing authority
Commodus

Design

Obverse type
Laureate bust of lightly bearded Commodus, right, wearing cuirass and paludamentum.
Reverse type
Two river-gods reclining against each other; the left one leans on a water urn and holds statue of Asclepius, the right one holds cornucopia and statue of Artemis of Ephesos.
Obverse legend
ΑΥ ΚΑΙ Μ ΑΥΡΗ ΚΟΜΟΔΟϹ
Reverse legend
ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡ Π ΑΙ ΠΙΟV ΚΟΙΝΟΝ [...] ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ

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/17800
Type corpus identifier
CN type 17800

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Research required
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

Research required

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