Nomos 15

CILICIA. Aegeae. Caligula, 37-41. Tetrassarion (Bronze, 30 mm, 13.41 g, 1 h), under the magistrate Mi..., dated ΖΠ = 87 = 40/41. Diademed and draped bust of Alexander the Great to right. Rev. AIΓAIΩN THΣ IEΡAΣ KAI AΥTONOMOΥ / ZΠ / MI Bare head of Julius Caesar to right. RPC 4036. SNG Levante 1691. Very rare. A very well preserved example of this fascinating issue. Nearly extremely fine.

Ex Obolos 5, 26 June 2016, 540 (unpaid).

Alexander and Caesar respectively founded and re-founded the city of Aegeae; thus, their commemorative portraits are on this coin. While the RPC is unsure whether this coin was struck late in the reign of Caligula or early under Claudius, we can tell from the magistrate that it must have been minted under Caligula. Two magistrates are known for coins of Aegeae struck in the year 87 (40/41): Ari... and Mi...: the former is clearly of Caligula (RPC 4035) and the latter is the present piece. However, the first magistrate, Ari..., also appears on named issues of Claudius and it would make sense that there was a continuity of service between the two reigns; Mi..., however, only appears on this issue. Given the normally annual terms for magistracies, it seems likely that Mi must have been replaced early in year 87 (perhaps he died in office?), prior to the assassination of Caligula.