This bronze coin was minted in Pergamum, Mysia (modern-day Bergama, Turkey) between 40-60 AD during the early Roman Imperial period. It represents provincial coinage issued under Roman authority but with local designs.
Coin Description:
Front side: Draped bust of the personified Roman Senate facing right, surrounded by a line border.
Back side: Turreted and draped bust of Roma (the personification of Rome) in profile, facing right.
Technical Details:
Material: Bronze
Denomination: Provincial Unit
Size: 18mm diameter
Weight: 3 grams
Period: 40-60 AD (Early Roman Imperial period)
Mint: Pergamum, Mysia
Catalog Reference: RPC 2374
Historical Significance:
This anonymous provincial issue represents Rome's flexible approach to local governance during the early empire, allowing cities like Pergamum to mint their own coinage while acknowledging Roman authority. The personifications of both the Senate and Roma demonstrate how Roman imperial ideology was projected into the eastern provinces. Pergamum was a major cultural and administrative center in Roman Asia Minor, having previously been the capital of the Attalid Kingdom before its incorporation into the Roman provincial system, and this coinage reflects its continued importance under Roman rule in what is now western Turkey.
This bronze coin was minted in Pergamum, Mysia (modern-day Bergama, Turkey) between 40-60 AD during the early Roman Imperial period. It represents provincial coinage issued under Roman authority but with local designs.
Coin Description:
Front side: Draped bust of the personified Roman Senate facing right, surrounded by a line border.
Back side: Turreted and draped bust of Roma (the personification of Rome) in profile, facing right.
Technical Details:
Material: Bronze
Denomination: Provincial Unit
Size: 18mm diameter
Weight: 3 grams
Period: 40-60 AD (Early Roman Imperial period)
Mint: Pergamum, Mysia
Catalog Reference: RPC 2374
Historical Significance:
This anonymous provincial issue represents Rome's flexible approach to local governance during the early empire, allowing cities like Pergamum to mint their own coinage while acknowledging Roman authority. The personifications of both the Senate and Roma demonstrate how Roman imperial ideology was projected into the eastern provinces. Pergamum was a major cultural and administrative center in Roman Asia Minor, having previously been the capital of the Attalid Kingdom before its incorporation into the Roman provincial system, and this coinage reflects its continued importance under Roman rule in what is now western Turkey.
