LYDIA. Saitta. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Hemiassarion (?) (Bronze, 16 mm, 3.02 g, 12 h), time of Caracalla-Elagabalus, 198-222. ΠΟΛIC Turreted and draped bust of the city-goddess to right. Rev. CAITTHNΩN Herakles standing front, head to left, leaning on club with his right hand and holding lion skin in his left. BMC -. Imhoof-Blumer, LS, -. Imhoof-Blumer, KM, -. SNG Copenhagen -. SNG Leypold -. SNG München -. SNG Righetti -. SNG Tübingen -. SNG von Aulock -. Winterthur -. Apparently unpublished and of great interest. Very fine.


Roman Provincial coins boasting the local civic pride by carrying a 'Polis' legend on the obverse are surprisingly rare: Leschhorn knew examples from the Phrygian Apameia, Attuda in Caria, the Phrygian Dionysopolis and Prostanna in Pisidia. The present piece now adds another city to the short list, this time Saitta in Lydia.