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Ancient Coin of the Day: A terrific aureus of Caracalla from AD 215, with a Reverse showing the emperor making offering at a shrine of Asclepius. #ACOTD #Caracalla
Image: RIC IV Caracalla 270A; British Museum (1844,1015.239)
Image: RIC IV Caracalla 270A; British Museum (1844,1015.239)
The date of the coin is provided by the clear Legend on the Reverse: P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P - 'Pontifex Maximus, Tribunician Power for the 18th year, Consul for the fourth time, Pater Patriae'.
But the Reverse is also a beautifully modelled scene of Caracalla offering at a shrine of Asclepius. The detail here is exquisite with Caracalla carrying a patera (offering bowl), while Asclepius carries his serpent-wreathed staff.
Image: Example from Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Image: Example from Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
It is likely that this coin issue commemorates the event recorded by Herodian (History of the Empire 4.8-3-4), that Caracalla "πείχθη ἐς Πέργαμον τῆς Ἀσίας, χρήσασθαι βουλόμενος θεραπείαις τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ" - 'set out for Pergamon in Asia, wanting to make use of the...
'...treatments at the shrine of Asclepius.' Herodian then records that "καὶ ἐς ὅσον ἤθελε τῶν ὀνειράτων ἐμφορηθείς" - 'and there he made as much use of the incubation treatment as he wished'.
Caracalla had previously issued coins in AD 207 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the cult of Asclepius in Rome, reinforcing the significance of the deity to the Severans and Caracalla in particular.
Image: RIC IV Caracalla 99; British Museum (1867,0101.767)
Image: RIC IV Caracalla 99; British Museum (1867,0101.767)
For more on Asclepius, see:
Renberg, Gil H. “Public and Private Places of Worship in the Cult of Asclepius at Rome.” Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome, 51/52, 2006, pp. 87–172.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25609491
#ACOTD #Caracalla
Renberg, Gil H. “Public and Private Places of Worship in the Cult of Asclepius at Rome.” Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome, 51/52, 2006, pp. 87–172.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25609491
#ACOTD #Caracalla
