PHRYGIA. Themisonium. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Assarion (Bronze, 22 mm, 6.21 g, 5 h), time of Maximinus I, circa 235-238. ΛΥΚ ϹΩΖΩΝ Radiate bust of Lykabas (?) Sozon to right. Rev. ΘЄΜΙϹΩΝЄΩΝ / ΚΑΖΑИΗ/Ϲ The river-god Kazanes reclining left, holding reed in his right hand and leaning left on urn from which water flows. BMC 5. RPC VI online 5538. SNG Copenhagen 750. Some deposits, otherwise, nearly very fine.


The obverse of this coin shows the mysterious Lykabas or Lykios Sozon, a local Anatolian deity who is regularly encountered on the coins of Themisonium. While very little is known about his cult, the fact that he is wearing a radiate crown heavily implies he was considered a solar deity, and he may have been associated with Apollo