RPC IV.4, 3331

 

Image of specimen #1

 

Coin type
Volume IV.4
Number 3331
Province Egypt
Region Egypt
City Alexandria
Reign Marcus Aurelius
Person (obv.) Commodus (Augustus)
Issue Year ΙΖ = 17
Dating AD 177
Obverse inscription ΑΥΤΟΚ ΚΑΙϹ Λ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟϹ ΚΟΜΜΟΔΟϹ
Obverse design bare-headed bust of Commodus (youthful) wearing cuirass and paludamentum, right, seen from rear
Reverse inscription [L ΙΖ]
Reverse design Heracles and the Cretan bull: Heracles advancing, left, head, right, grasping horn and muzzle of bull rearing, right, head, left; below, club(?)
Metal copper-based alloy
Average diameter 33 mm
Reference D 3827, pl. III (obv.), pl. XV (rev.)
Specimens 2 (0 in the core collections)
Note Dattari read L ΙΖ. This is plausible as the obverse inscription was used for Commodus (Augustus) in year 17 only. The youthful bare head was used in years 17 and 19. Elsewhere the labours of Heracles appear on drachms in year 17 (Marcus, Heracles and the stables of Augeas), and 19 (Crispina, Heracles and the Erymanthian boar).

Specimens of this coin type

Number Number Museum Bibliography
1 1     ✸ D 3827, pl. III (obv.), pl. XV (rev.) = Voegtli, Heldenepen, p. 30 (pl. 4j (rev.)) = Naville Numismatics 32, 18 June 2017, lot 303 = Figari - Mosconi 929 (no source given) = Matthijs
2 2     Hauck und Aufhäuser 15 (21. 3. 2000), 354