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.
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1. Aesculapius's altar
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2. Aesculapius's altar
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3. Aesculapius's altar
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4. Aesculapius's altar
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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
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5. The Tiber god
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6. The Tiber god
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7. The Tiber god
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8. The Tiber god
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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
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9. Aesculapius and the snake
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10. Aesculapius and the snake
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11. Aesculapius and the snake
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12. Aesculapius and the snake
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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
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13. Aesculapius and the snake
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14. Aesculapius and the snake
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15. Aesculapius and the snake
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16. Aesculapius and temple
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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
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17. Aesculapius and the snake
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18. Aesculapius and the snake
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19. Aesculapius and the snake
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20. Aesculapius and the snake
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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(?)
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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
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21. Aesculapius and the snake
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22. Aesculapius and the snake
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23. Aesculapius and temple
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24. Aesculapius and the snake
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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