Mesembria, Philippus Arabs, 4 unit — Homonoia standing left (CN type 251)
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
AD 244–248
Issuing entity
Thrace4 unit in bronze struck at Mesembria in Thrace under Philippus Arabs, dated AD 244–248. Corpus Nummorum, the online type corpus of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, records it as CN type 251 (period: Roman Imperial Period; issuing authority type: city).
Obverse: Confronted busts of Philip the Arab, laureate, and of Otacilia Severa, diademed. Legend: ΑVΤ Μ ΙΟVΛ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟϹ ΑVΓ Μ ΩΤΑΚΙΛ ϹЄΒΗΡΑ ϹЄΒ. Reverse: Homonoia standing left, wearing kalathos, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left arm. Legend: ΜΕϹΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ. Measured specimens give a mean weight of 12.31 g (mean of 2 recorded specimens) and a diameter of 26–27.8 mm (from 3 recorded specimens). Published references cited by the corpus: Karayotov, The Coinage of Mesambria: Bronze Coins of Mesambria, Sozopol 2009, p. 422, nr. 233-234, pl. 143, pic. 233-234; Varbanov, Greek Imperial Coins and their Values II 2. Thrace (from Abdera to Pautalia), Bourgas 2005, p. 355/356, nr. 4244-4246.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 4
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 2
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Philip I, commonly known as Philip the Arab, was Roman emperor from 244 to 249 following the death of Gordian III. His wife, Marcia Otacilia Severa, served as Roman empress during his five-year reign, which marked an unusually stable period in the crisis of the third century. During this era, bronze coinage of this type was issued by the ancient city of Mesembria in Thrace.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- bronze
- Denomination
- 4 unit
- Recorded diameter
- 26–27.8 mm (from 3 recorded specimens)
- Recorded mean weight
- 12.31 g (mean of 2 recorded specimens)
Technical characteristics
- Mint
- Mesembria
- Region
- Thrace
- Authority type
- City
- Issuing authority
- Philippus Arabs
Design
- Obverse type
- Confronted busts of Philip the Arab, laureate, and of Otacilia Severa, diademed.
- Reverse type
- Homonoia standing left, wearing kalathos, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left arm.
- Obverse legend
- ΑVΤ Μ ΙΟVΛ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟϹ ΑVΓ Μ ΩΤΑΚΙΛ ϹЄΒΗΡΑ ϹЄΒ
- 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/251
- Type corpus identifier
- CN type 251
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. 422, nr. 233-234, pl. 143, pic. 233-234
- Corpus Nummorum bibliographyp. 355/356, nr. 4244-4246
Research required
- Photograph reuse terms to be confirmed with the holding institution