SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Paltus. Septimius Severus, 193-211. Diassarion (Bronze, 23 mm, 7.36 g, 1 h). AYT KAI CЄΠ CЄOYHPOC Laureate head of Septimius Severus to right. Rev. ΠAΛTΗNⲰN / ЄΓ•ΓP Large decorated shrine. BMC -. CNG E-Auction 123 (2005), 125. SNG Copenhagen -. Very rare. Patina stripped, otherwise, very fine.


The small coastal city of Paltus lay south of Laodicea. It was here that Cassius set up his camp during the siege of P. Cornelius Dolabella in Laodica in 43 BC. As for the enigmatic ЄΓ•ΓP in the exergue (ЄΓPH on other examples), no persuasive interpretation of its meaning has been put forward to date.