Jotapian, usurper, circa 248-249. Antoninianus (Billon, 22 mm, 5.12 g, 12 h), Nicopolis in Seleucis (?). IMP M F RV IOTAPIANVS S Radiate and cuirassed bust of Jotapian to right, seen from behind. Rev. VIC-TOR-IA AVG Victory advancing right, holding wreath in her right hand and palm over her left shoulder with her left. Bland, Jotapian, 1 (Obv. die I/Rev. die i). Bland 1. Cohen 3 corr. (obverse legend). RIC 1 corr. (obverse legend). An extremely rare variety, with Victory advancing to the right. Struck on a very broad flan, made of unusually fine silver, and featuring one of the best surviving portraits of this ephemeral usurper. Somewhat porous and with minor areas of weakness, otherwise, good very fine.

Jotapian was a Roman army commander of royal Commagenean descent who led a revolt in 248 or 249 in response to the heavy tax burden imposed on the eastern provinces by Priscus, the rector orientis and brother of Emperor Philip I Arab. The revolt was apparently unsuccessful, as Jotapian failed to control any major cities or mints, and little more than fifty of his coins have survived. These coins are of a crude, provincial style and may have been struck in Nicopolis, a city in Seleucis north of Antioch. Jotapian was captured in late 249, and his head was presented to Trajan Decius, who had by then defeated and replaced Philip I