Odessos, Gordian III., bronze coin — Athena standing facing (CN type 22509)
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
AD 238–244
Issuing entity
ThraceCoin in bronze struck at Odessos in Thrace 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 22509 (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 *ΑVΓ* ϹЄ ΤΡΑΝΚVΛΛЄΙΝΑ. Reverse: Athena standing facing, head right, wearing Corinthian helmet and long garment, holding shield with right hand and inverted spear in left arm. Legend: ΟΔΗϹϹЄΙΤΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 12.33 g (mean of 7 recorded specimens) and a diameter of 25.3–28.4 mm (from 6 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. 1590; Kapossy and Righetti, Sylloge nummorum Graecorum. Schweiz. 2: Münzen der Antike: Katalog der Sammlung Jean-Pierre Righetti im Bernischen Historischen Museum, Bern 1993, nr. 284, pl. 20; Mannsperger and Balluff, Sylloge nummorum Graecorum. Deutschland. Münzsammlung der Universität Tübingen. 2. Taurische Chersones - Korkyra: Nr. 731 - 1542, 1982, nr. 895; Schwabacher, Sylloge nummorum Graecorum: the Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Copenhagen 1942, nr. 685; 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
Gordian III reigned as Roman emperor from 238 to 244, having acceded at the age of 13 as the second-youngest sole ruler of the united Roman Empire. His wife, Empress Furia Sabinia Tranquillina, was the daughter of the Praetorian Prefect Timesitheus. This bronze civic issue was struck between AD 238 and 244 by the city of Odessos in Thrace, portraying the emperor alongside the empress.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- bronze
- Recorded diameter
- 25.3–28.4 mm (from 6 recorded specimens)
- Recorded mean weight
- 12.33 g (mean of 7 recorded specimens)
Technical characteristics
- Mint
- Odessos
- Region
- Thrace
- Authority type
- City
- Issuing authority
- Gordian III.
Design
- Obverse type
- Confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate, wearing cuirass and paludamentum, and of Tranquillina, diademed and draped.
- Reverse type
- Athena standing facing, head right, wearing Corinthian helmet and long garment, holding shield with right hand and inverted spear in left arm.
- Obverse legend
- ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ *ΑVΓ* ϹЄ ΤΡΑΝΚVΛΛЄΙΝΑ
- Reverse legend
- ΟΔΗϹϹЄΙΤΩΝ
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/22509
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 22509
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
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 1590
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 284, pl. 20
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 895
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographynr. 685
- external concordance
Research required
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution