The island in the coins


Also coins can tell about the Tiber island: in particular on the Reverse of many coins one can found the representation of Aesculapius, his temple and his symbol, the snake, as well as the Tiber river, considered as a god.
The last eight coins (from 17 to 24 of page 2) have been coined in Greek and Asian mints.
A short Glossary of the numismatic terms used in this section is enclosed at the bottom of this page. 


1. Aesculapius's altar


2. Aesculapius's altar


3. Aesculapius's altar


4. Aesculapius's altar

Lucius Rubrius Dossenus, Consul 87 b.C. 
1÷4 - AR Quinarius; Rome mint, 87 b.C.
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Neptune right, DOSSEN and trident behind
REVERSE: Victory walking right, snake entwined around altar before, LRVBRI behind
The altar is the Aesculapius's one that was located on the island in the Tiber


5. The Tiber god


6.  The Tiber god


7. The Tiber god


8. The Tiber god

Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Arrius Antoninus known as Antoninus Pius (Emperor 138-161 A.D.)
5÷7 - AE Sestertius; 140-144 A.D.
OBVERSE: Laureate head right; ANTONINUS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III
REVERSE: River-god Tiber, draped about waist, reclining left on rock outcropping from which water flows beneath him, resting right hand on ship's poop and cradling reed in left arm; TIBERIS S C
8 - AE Assis.
OBVERSE: As previous
REVERSE: As previous;
TR PVT COS III - TIBERIS S C


9. Aesculapius and the snake


10.  Aesculapius and the snake


11. Aesculapius and the snake


12. Aesculapius and the snake

Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus (Emperor 193-197 A.D.)
9÷12 - AR Denarius.
OBVERSE: Bare head right; D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES radiate 
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing left feeding snake which coils up around staff at his side; COS II radiate


13. Aesculapius and the snake


14. Aesculapius and the snake


15. Aesculapius and the snake


16. Aesculapius and temple

Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus (real name Lucius Severus Bassianus) AKA Caracalla (Emperor 211-217 A.D.)
13 - AS Assis; 215 A.D.
OBVERSE: Laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right, ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing facing holding serpent entwined staff, Telesphorus standing to left, globe to right, S and G at side, P M TR P XVIII COS III P P
14 e 15 - AR Denarius; 215
A.D.)
OBVERSE: Laureate head right, ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing front, head left, leaning on serpent-entwined staff left, P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P
16 - AV Aureus; 215
A.D.)
OBVERSE: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM
REVERSE: Caracalla, in military dress, standing left, sacrificing over altar in front of four columned temple; behind, togate figure standing left; before, Aesculapius standing right, holding wand, a small child standing beside him, holding wand, P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P


17. Aesculapius and the snake


18. Aesculapius and the snake


19. Aesculapius and the snake


20. Aesculapius and the snake

Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus (Emperor 117-138 A.D.)
17 - AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm; mint of Pergamo, coined after 128 A.D.)
OBVERSE: Bare headed and draped bust right; HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P 
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing facing, head left, leaning on serpent-entwined staff held in his right hand; COS III
18 - AE Assis; probably from Mytilene - Lesbos.
OBVERSE: Bearded, bare head right; LOUKIOC - AILIOC KAICAR
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing facing, head turned left, wearing himation, holding snake-entwined staff with his right hand; MU-[...]NAIWN(?)

Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus (real name Lucius Severus Bassianus) AKA Caracalla (Emperor 211-217 A.D.)
19 - AE Assis coined at Pautaliain - Tracia.
OBVERSE: Laureate bust right; AV K M AVP CEV ANTWNINOC
REVERSE: Aesculapius flying right on a winged serpent; OVLPIAC PAVTALIAC
20 - AE Assis
coined at Serdica - Tracia.
OBVERSE: Laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right; AVT K M AVP CEV ANTWNEINOC
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing facing, feeding a serpent climbing up staff left; OVLPIAC CEPDIKHC


21. Aesculapius and the snake


22. Aesculapius and the snake


23. Aesculapius and temple


24. Aesculapius and the snake

Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus (real name Lucius Severus Bassianus) AKA Caracalla (Emperor 211-217 A.D.)
21 - AE Assis coined by Lower Cilbians in Lydia.
OBVERSE: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; AU K M U - ANTWNîINOC
REVERSE: Aesculapius, nude to waist, facing, holding snake-entwined staff in his right hand, head turned left towards Hygieia, wearing chiton and peplos, standing right, feeding snake in her right hand out of patera in her left hand; between the two, Telesphoros facing, wearing hood; îPI COC CA-RIKL-îOUC ARC A îT B CAITTH/NWN

Marcus Opellius Macrinus (Emperor 217-218 A.D.)
22 - AE Assis of Statius Longinus, legate of the emperor at Nicopolis ad Istrum - Moesia Inferior
OBVERSE: Laureate, bearded head right; AUT K M OPîL CîU -MAKRîINOC
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing facing, wearing himation, bearded head turned left, holding snake-entwined staff with his right hand; UP CTA LONGINOU NIKOPOLITWN PROC / IC

Severus Alexander (Emperor 222-235 A.D.)
23 -
AE Assis from Aegeae - Cilicia, abour 231 A.D.)
OBVERSE: Laureate head right
REVERSE: Tetrastyle temple seen in perspective, statue of Aesculapius within; date below

Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (Emperor 253-268 A.D.)
24 - AE Antoninianus; Asias mint
OBVERSE: Cuirassed bust, GALLIENVS AVG radiate
REVERSE: Aesculapius standing left leaning on serpent entwined staff, CONSERVATOR AVG

GLOSSARY:

OBVERSE
and REVERSE: Respectively the front or "heads" side of a coin, usually the side with the date and main design, and the back or "tails" side of a coin.

AE
: from Latin As or Assis; indicates a bronze coin; used in describing ancient coins made from copper, bronze or orichalcum, a Roman type of brass
AR
: from Latin Argentum (silver); indicates a silver coin e.g. AR denarius, AR antoninianus
AV or AU
: From Latin Aurum (gold); indicates a gold coin e.g. AV solidus 

Antoninianus
: Double denarius coin. Roman emperor Caracalla 211-217 AD introduced as a pure silver coin but soon debased to 3% silver. Depiction of emperor's portrait with a radiate crown is it's uniqueness.
As or Assis
(pl. ases or asses): The earliest coins issued in what is now central Italy were cast bronze pieces known as Aes Grave weighing about 320 grams, first issued around 289 BC. Prior to this time, there were bronze coins known as Aes Rude, but these were essentially irregular lumps of bronze.
Aureus
: A gold coin
Denarius
: The basic unit of exchange in ancient Rome, from about 210 BC until about 250 AD. The denarius was a silver coin, of which the weight and fineness varied somewhat depending on which emperor was presiding over the affairs of the Imperial treasury. For the majority of the Imperial Period, a denarius had the same value as 16 bronze ases.
Quinarius
: Silver coin; half denarius i.e. 8 ases.
Sestertius
(pl: sestertii): The largest regular-issue coin of the Imperial period. Usually made of orichalcum, but sometimes made of bronze, in value to 4 copper asses.
Tetradrachm
: Greek silver coin equivalent yo 4 drachms.