Mints
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- Name : Koila
- Modern Name : -
- Nomisma-ID: coela
- NomismaRegion: thracian_chersonesus
Content
Related Records
Topography and History
Coela was located on the Thracian Chersonese, on the Hellespont coast and possibly to the south of Sestos.1 During the Roman imperial period, the city was an administrative centre on the peninsula and reached the status of Municipium Aelium Coela during the reign of Hadrian.
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Hostein 2020, 142 on its localization. ↑
State of Research
The previously published volumes of RPC and RPC online provide a good overview of the minting activity of Coela, since the city issued coins only during the imperial period. Furthermore, in his third volume, I. Varbanov also collected the Roman coinage of Coela.2
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There are also entries in Mionnet and Mouchmov (these partly taken over from Varbanov), but they were taken into account for the typification in the database only in the cases when the specimens could be checked. ↑
Minting System and Typology
Bronze coins were minted exclusively in the Roman period from Hadrian to Gallienus, but only sporadically and probably on a small scale. So far, coins have become known under the following emperors: Hadrian, Aelius, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius,3 Commodus, Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Geta, Macrinus, Elagabalus, Severus Alexander, Maximus, Gordian III, Philip I, Philip II, Trebonianus Gallus, Volusian, and Gallienus. A. Hostein provides an overview of the reverse motifs.4 The repertoire of reverse motifs shows few local features apart from the prora,5 which was a popular symbol for a harbour on the Thracian Chersonese and which can be described as typical for a Roman colonia.6 Noteworthy also are images of Artemis/Diana under Commodus, appearing with the legend ΔΙΑΝΑΕ ΔΑVFEN (δας φαινω) and interpreted as a torch-lighting Artemis.7 Furthermore, A. Hostein notes parallels concerning portrait style and legend titulature between Coela and Alexandria Troas in the coinage of Trebonianus Gallus and Gallienus.8
Our type catalogue represents the state of research as of January 2021 and does not take into account any coin types that became known later. Further information, especially on new types, is always welcome.
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Lucius Verus in combination with a reverse featuring the Capitoline wolf can be found on a specimen from Mouchmov, Varbanov Nr. 2899. Additionally https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3674792. ↑
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Hostein 2020, 143–144 Fig. 1. Marsyas, Artemis, Genius, temple, Capitoline wolf, Aeneas with Anchises and Ascanius, bust of Tyche, Hermes, Apollo(?). ↑
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The prora is rendered variably and is combined with a number of epithets. ↑
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Marsyas, Capitoline wolf, Genius (primarily in the larger denominations) with a cult statue, which is interpreted by A. Hostein as the palladium of nearby Ilium. ↑
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Hostein (2020, 144) suspects a local cult of Artemis. ↑
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Hostein 2020, 146–147. ↑
Bibliography
- Burnett et. al. 2015 = Andrew Burnett, Michel Amandry, Jerome Mairat: Roman Provincial Coinage. Volume III: Nerva, Trajan and Hadrian (AD 96-138), 2015.
- Hostein 2020 = Antony Hostein, L'atelier monétaire de Coela en Thrace, in: Annuaire EPHE. Section SHP. Conférences 2018-2019, 151, 2020, 141–149.
- Hostein - Mairat 2016 = Antony Hostein/Jerome Mairat: Roman Provincial Coinage. Volume IX: From Trajan Decius to Uranius Antoninus (AD 249-254), 2016.
- Mairat - Spoerri et. al. 2020 = J. Mairat, M. Spoerri Butcher, M. Amandry, K. Butcher, J. Nurpetlian, U. Peter, E. Levante, Roman Provincial Coinage. Volume VIII , Philip (AD 244–249) Online: 2020.
- Mairat - Spoerri et. al. 2020 = J. Mairat, M. Spoerri Butcher, M. Amandry, K. Butcher, J. Nurpetlian, U. Peter, E. Levante, RPC VII.2 From Gordian I to Gordian III (AD 238–244): all provinces except Asia Online: 2020.
- Spoerri-Butcher 2006 = Marguerite Spoerri-Butcher: Roman Provincial Coinage. Volume VII,1: De Gordien Ier à Gordien III (238-244 après J.-C.). Province d'Asie, 2006.
- Varbanov 2007 = Ivan Varbanov, Greek Imperial Coins And Their Values III. Thrace (from Perinthus to Trajanopolis), Chersonesos Thraciae, Insula Thraciae, Macedonia, Bourgas (2007) 305–316.