EGYPT. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138. Obol (Bronze, 19 mm, 4.61 g, 12 h), Sebennyte nome, RY 11 = 126/7. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ CЄΒ Laureate head of Hadrian to right, with slight drapery on his left shoulder. Rev. CЄBЄ Κ / L ΙΑ Ares-Anhur standing front, head to left, wearing helmet with four feathers and holding grape bunch in his right hand and spear in his left. Dattari (Savio) 11148 = RPC III online 6485.18 (this coin). Emmett 1217.11. K&G N47.1. Rare. Slightly rough, otherwise, good fine.


This coin forms part of the 'nome coinage', struck under several emperors starting from Domitian and ending with Antoninus Pius. The division of Egypt into nomes (smaller districts) had its roots in the pharaonic administration, but continued to be used in the Graeco-Roman period. On the reverse of the obols struck by Hadrian (probably for the emperor's decennalia), the respective nomes are identified through the legend and a local deity is depicted.

The Sebennyte nome, it appears, was split into two parts for some time under the Romans. Our coin was struck for the Sebennytes kato topon, the northern part, with its capital at Pachnamounis. It shows Anhur, an Egyptian war god, who was equated with the Greek Ares and who had a temple in Sebennytos, the capital of the southern part of the Sebennyte nome, clearly indicating that the cult overcame the administrative division of the nome. The grape bunch he is holding refers to the cultivation of wine in the area, which is already attested during the New Kingdom under Amenhotep III (circa 1388-1351/0 BC).