LYDIA. Sardis. Septimius Severus, 193-211. Medallion (Orichalcum, 41 mm, 35.21 g, 12 h), Gaios Ioulios Krispos, archon. Circa 193-195, but probably in late 193 or early 194. AYT•KAIC•Λ•CЄΠTIMI•CЄOYHPOC•ΠЄPTINAZ Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Septimius Severus to right, seen from behind. Rev. ЄΠI•Γ•I•KPICΠOY•APX / CAPΔIANΩN•ΔIC / NЄΩKOPΩN Two six-column temples, seen in half-perspective and turned toward each other, discs in pediment; above, two wreaths, one smooth and one leafy. BMC -. Kurth 467 (same dies). SNG Copenhagen -. SNG Leypold -. SNG von Aulock 3155 (same dies). Very rare. A bold and impressive medallion of magnificent style and undoubtedly the finest known. Slightly smoothed, otherwise, extremely fine.


Among the many surviving Lydian Provincial medallions, this is certainly one of the finest and most impressive. Crafted by a very skilled artist working early in Septimius' reign (for the dating of Krispos' archonship, see the note in Leu 2 (2018), 175), the piece shows an early portrait of the emperor reminiscent of his first issues from Rome on the obverse and two neocorate temples on the reverse. Exactly whose neokoroi these were is difficult to assess: numismatic and archeological evidence tells us that Sardis became twice neokoros under Antoninus Pius, but whether the first temple was erected in honor of Hadrian, or perhaps Claudius, is still a matter of debate, all the more as one large temple was apparently abandoned after an earthquake in circa 140-150. Another detail worth mentioning on the reverse are the two wreaths above the temples, one of which is plain, the other leafy. While their exact meaning is unknown, they are certainly agonistic in nature and perhaps represent olive and laurel wreaths, thus symbolizing Olympian and Pythian festivals.