LYCAONIA. Iconium. Germanicus, Caesar, 15 BC-AD 19. Assarion (Bronze, 21 mm, 3.33 g, 3 h), RY 1 of Tiberius = 14/5 AD. ΓΕPΜ - KAI / ET •A• Bare-headed, heroic bust of Germanicus to right, seen from behind and wearing drapery on his left shoulder. Rev. IKONIEΩΝ Heroic bust of Perseus to right, seen from behind, wearing winged Phrygian helmet and carrying harpa over his left shoulder, which is covered by the aegis decorated with gorgoneion in the center. RPC I -. Leu Web Auction 27 (2023), 1262. Very rare. Slightly rough, otherwise, fine.


It was previously believed that the earliest Roman Provincial coins from Iconium were struck under Claudius, when the city adopted the name Claudiconium, but the emergence of this highly interesting issue showing Germanicus on the obverse reveals that we must antedate the first civic coinage under Roman rule of this mint. In fact, the coin carries a date, 'Year 1', which must refer to Tiberius, since Germanicus died in 19 AD; thus, the coin can be dated to 14/5 AD. It is worth noting that the issue clearly aligns Germanicus with Perseus, Zeus' son and slayer of the Gorgon Medusa, who was prominently worshipped in Iconium and frequently depicted on the city's civic coinage.