Markianopolis, Gordian III., 5 unit — Nude unbearded deity seated right on rock (CN type 21735)
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
AD 238–244
Issuing entity
Moesia inferior5 unit in bronze struck at Markianopolis in Moesia inferior under Gordian III., dated AD 238–244. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 21735 (period: Roman Imperial Period; issuing authority type: city).
Obverse: Confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate, draped and cuirassed, right, and of Serapis, draped and wearing kalathos, left. Legend: Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑVΓ. Reverse: Nude unbearded deity (Apollo?) seated right on rock, holding lyre; right foot on ram's head. Legend: VΠ ΜΗΝΟΦΙΛΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 15.3 g (mean of 2 recorded specimens). Published references cited by the corpus: Mairat and Spoerri Butcher, RPC VII 2: Roman provincial coinage. Vol. VII 2: From Gordian I to Gordian III (AD 238–244): all provinces except Asia. print and online, London 2022, nr. 1328; Pick, Die antiken Münzen Nord-Griechenlands. 1. Die antiken Münzen von Dacien und Moesien. 1. Halbbd. I 1, Berlin 1898, nr. 1126 Var.; Linked type corpus, RPC VII.2, 1328.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 4
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 3
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Marcianopolis, also known as Markianopolis or Parthenopolis, was an ancient Greek and later Roman capital city located in Moesia Inferior at the site of modern Devnya, Bulgaria. Gordian III, born Marcus Antonius Gordianus, served as Roman emperor from 238 to 244 after becoming the second-youngest sole ruler of the united Roman Empire at the age of 13. During his reign, the provincial civic authorities of Markianopolis produced bronze coinage under Roman imperial administration.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- bronze
- Denomination
- 5 unit
- Recorded mean weight
- 15.3 g (mean of 2 recorded specimens)
Technical characteristics
- Mint
- Markianopolis
- Region
- Moesia inferior
- Authority type
- City
- Issuing authority
- Gordian III.
Design
- Obverse type
- Confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate, draped and cuirassed, right, and of Serapis, draped and wearing kalathos, left.
- Reverse type
- Nude unbearded deity (Apollo?) seated right on rock, holding lyre; right foot on ram's head.
- Obverse legend
- Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑVΓ
- Reverse legend
- VΠ ΜΗΝΟΦΙΛΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ
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/21735
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 21735
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 bibliographynr. 1328
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 1126 Var.
- external concordanceRPC VII.2, 1328
Research required
- Diameter not recorded in the source corpus
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution