CARIA. Trapezopolis. Commodus, as Caesar, 166-177. Tetrassarion (Bronze, 30 mm, 15.87 g, 1 h), M. Oul. Karminios Klaudianos, asiarch, circa 166-169. M AYPHΛIOC OYHPOC KAICAP Bare-headed and draped bust of Commodus to right. Rev. ΔΙΑ•M•ΚΑΡΜΙΝΙΟY•ΚΛΑYΔ[IANOY] - ΤΡΑΠЄΖΟΠΟ/ΛЄITΩN Zeus Laodiceus standing front, head to left, holding eagle in his right hand and scepter in his left, between Hera, on the left, standing front, head to right, holding scepter in her right hand and pomegranate in her left, and Athena, on the right, standing front, head to left, holding olive branch in her right hand and shield and spear in her left. RPC IV online -. Unpublished and unique. A very interesting issue with a lovely juvenile portrait and an attractive dark olive green patina. Very fine.

The asiarch M. Oul. Karminios Klaudianos also signed coins from Attuda in Caria showing Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus on the obverse (RPC IV online 856), which dates our coin to between 166, when Commodus was raised to the rank of Caesar at the age of five years, and 169, when Lucius Verus unexpectedly died. This is thus one of the earliest of all provincial issues of Commodus, and hitherto his only known coin from Trapezopolis as Caesar