Julia Domna, 2nd Wife of Septimius Severus

Troas, Pionia, Julia Domna, 246-248 A.D.
AE 22, 4.73g. Draped bust of Domna to right; counter-stamp of male head to right. Rev. Serpent on base of altar. SNG von Aulcok 1568(this coin). Imhoof-Blumer, KM 509,1. Dark brown patina. Scarce city issue See more detailed image
Very Fine/good Fine $850.

Ionia, Smyrna, Julia Domna, 193-217 A.D.

AE 25.5mm, 6.69g. magistrate: Marcus Aurelius Geminus. Draped bust of Julia to right with her hair arranged in rows. Rev. Two Nemesis facing; the one on left holds a bridle and the one on the right holds a cubit-rule; wheel at feet. Klose, Smyrna, 279,39(dies). BMC 384. Tan and green patina.

Provenance/Pedigrees: 

Ex: Münzen und Medaillen Deutschland, Auction 32, May 26, 2010, lot 236

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Extremely Fine/good Very Fine $600.

Karia, Stratonikeia, Septimius Severus, 193-211

AE 37.5mm, 23.83g.  Facing busts of Septimius and Julia Domna; counterstamp with head of Caracalla below.  Rev. Zeus Panamaros holding scepter and riding to right.  BMC 55.  SNG von Aulock 2668. Hoegego 84 for counterstamp. Brown patina.

Provenance/Pedigree:

Ex: Münzen Auktion Essen, 1994, lot 317.

Panamara was a dependecy of Stratonikeia and contained an important temple to Zeus.   Labienus and the Parthians in 40/39  B.C. unsuccesfully attempted to capture both Stratonikeia and Panamara.    They were foiled at Panamara by an intervention of Zeus.  (See: Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, 1976.).  This manifestation of Zeus is depicted on the reverse of the coin. 

A dedicatory inscription probabably for a sculptural group was found at Panamara and relates the details of Zeus' aid during the siege.  The Parthians fist attempted a surprise attack at night but Zeus illuminated the sky with lightining to alert the Panamarian defenders.   During a subsequesnt attack, Zeus enveloped the attackers in fog and a severe storm which caused great confusion within their ranks but allowed the defenders to be hidden in the fog with a resulstant slaughter of the attackers.  (See: Georgia Petridou, "Crossing Physical and Cultural Borders in the Battlefield: Amorphous Epiphanies and Divine Bilingualism"  pp. 155ff. in Borders, Terminologies, Idiologies, and Performances, Annette Weissenrieder(ed), 2016.

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good Very Fine/Very Fine $3,500.