Imperial Rome   :|:   Document

Isis sailing on a Diadumenian coin (1)

ref. : en.848.2103 | 1 September 2013 | by Francis Leveque
coins | First quarter of IIIe century AD
Byblos (Jbeil) (Gebla), Phénicie ( Liban )
Twitter Twitter

Bronze coin, 21 mm, 7.96 g.

Mint : Byblus

Date : 217-218 ap. J.-C.

Recto :

M OΠ ΔIAΔVMENIANOC K
Traduction : “Marcus Opellius Diadumenianus, Caesar”
Description : Young bare headed and cuirassed bust right

Verso :

IEPAC BVBΛOV
Traduction : (coin) of the people of Byblus
Description : Isis/Pharia on raft, holding inflated sail

Commentaire :

Diadumenian was associated to the empire by his father Macrinus for just one year, the death of Caracalla (April 217 AD) to their murder by the army (June 218 AD). Diaduménien was then just over 10 years. This explains why the currency is a young boy on the face.

The reverse side expresses a theme attached to Byblos: that of Isis sailing related to the myth of Isis when she came to Byblos seek the coffin of Osiris.

Bibliography :

  • , Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen (SNG Copenhagen ) , n° 144
  • , American Numismatic Society Numismatic Notes and Monographs (ANS), American Numismatic Society, New York , vol. 100, n° 70898, 1944
  • T. Mionnet, Description des médailles antiques, Grecques et Romaines (Mionnet), Paris , 1806-1837, vol. 5, p.355, n° 129
  • , The British Museum. Catalogue of the Greek Coins (BMC), Londres , 1873-1927 (réimpr. 1963-1965), n° 44-46
  • Jules Rouvier, Numismatique des villes de Phénicie, in Journal international d'archéologie numismatique, Barth et von Hirst, Athènes , 1901-1904, n° 702
  • H. C. Lindgren, Ancient Greek Bronze Coins from the Lindgren Collection (Lindgren III), Chrysopylon Publishers, Quarryville, Penn. , 1993, n° 1395
    •