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This 'alliance' coin of Ephesus and Pergamum has the name of a Pergamene magistrate and should therefore presumably be regarded as a coin made by Pergamum, even though no other coins of this denomination are known at Pergamum. The same denomination does, however, occur at Ephesus, and the obv. is very close to coins of Ephesus (e.g. 1070-3). The identity of the male figure is not certain, but probably Zeus (von Fritze, Pergamon, p. 102), who is attested at Pergamum in various cults, e.g. Zeus Philips, Zeus Olympios. From the second century Asclepius was the god normally chosen to symbolise Pergamum in 'alliance' coins, although on coins of Augustus the Demos of Pergamum appears with the Demos of Sardis (RPC I, 2362, cf. 2988). Dräger p. 320 with n. 10 prefers to identify the figure as Asclepius Soter.
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