PHOENICIA. Tyre. Julia Maesa, Augusta, 218-224/5. 'As' (Bronze, 27 mm, 12.46 g, 12 h). [IVLIA MAESA AVGV] Diademed and draped bust of Julia Maesa to right. Rev. TΥRIORVM [ΔЄΙΔΩ] The building of Carthage: Dido standing left, holding a ruler in her right hand and scepter with her left, surveying construction; mason above gate, worker with pick-axe digging before gate; murex shell in upper central field, palm tree to right of Dido. Rouvier 2406. RPC VI online 8646. Rare and with a lovely mythological reverse scene. Somewhat corroded, otherwise, fine.

The reverse shows the mythological foundation of Carthage by Queen Dido. Originally hailing from Tyre, Dido left her birthplace to escape her tyrannical brother, Pygmalion, who at one point put her husband, Acerbas, to death. Dido and her companions eventually reached North Africa, where the shrewd queen asked the local ruler, Iarbas, for as much land as could be encompassed by an oxhide. Dido then proceeded to cut the oxhide into smaller strips, which could encircle a large area. Although Carthage would eventually be subdued by the Romans (as foreshadowed by Dido's ill-fated romance with the Trojan Aeneas in Virgil's Aeneid), its fame would far surpass that of its metropolis. Hence, the latter chose to commemorate her daughter-city's foundation on its coins, with the added detail of the murex shell reminding the viewer that before she was queen of Carthage, Dido was a princess of Tyre.