LYCAONIA. Iconium. Gordian III, 238-244. 'Sestertius' (Orichalcum, 32 mm, 20.92 g, 7 h). IMP CAES M AT (sic!) GORDIANVS AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III to right, seen from behind. Rev. COL AELI ADRI ICONIESI (sic!) / S R Aphrodite, nude and seen three-quarters from behind, but with her head turned toward the viewer, seated to left in bathtub, washing herself and wringing out her hair; behind to right, chiton hung up on tree; below, hound standing left, head turned back to right. Von Aulock, Lykaonien, 330-331 (same dies). Extremely rare and undoubtedly the finest of a very few known examples. A magnificent piece, well struck on a full flan and with delightful reverse details. Extremely fine.
This beautiful coin shows the famous Bath of Aphrodite: we see here three-quarters from behind, sitting nude in a bathtub and wringing out her wet hair while playfully glancing at the viewer. To the right, her chiton is loosely hung up on a tree, and a hunting dog is standing on guard in front of the bath. It is worth noting that the dies for this issue were most certainly crafted in Antiochia in Pisidia, a mint which was bursting with activity in the first half of the 3rd century: in fact, this obverse die was also used on SNG von Aulock 4956, a sestertius from that mint