ASIA MINOR. Uncertain. 2nd-3rd centuries. Tessera (Lead, 16 mm, 3.20 g, 6 h), Mar..., grammateus of the Boulé (city council). MAP - ΓP - BOV Composite head of horned youthful Pan on the left and Silenos on the right. Rev. ΓP • BOY • MAP Eagle standing right, devouring hare. Cf. Vossen col. 42 (same obverse die, reverse blank). An exceptional tessera with complete legends and devices, signed by a secretary of the city council. Good very fine.


Several tesserae exist that refer to the Boule, i.e. the city council. Gülbay & Kireç 232 is a tessera that is signed by the council itself, with a simple genitive legend reading "boules", meaning "of the city council". More often, however, we find tesserae naming the secretary of the council, the "grammateus", as is the case with this example. A remarkable tessera in the Vossen collection is signed by a president of the Boule, "boularches", with the name of Laouphilos (Vossen col. 45).