PHRYGIA. Docimeium. Lucius Verus, 161-169. Tetrassarion (Bronze, 29 mm, 16.18 g, 7 h), circa 163-165. ΑΥ•ΚΑΙ•Λ• - ΑΥΡ•ΟΥΗΡΟ-Ϲ• Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Lucius Verus to right, seen from behind. Rev. ΔΟΚΙΜЄΩΝ ΜΑΚЄΔΟΝΩΝ Dionysos standing facing, wearing a wreath of ivy and fruit, looking to the right, with his right foot placed on a small rock (?); holding a long filleted thyrsos in his right hand and placing his left arm around the shoulders of an Erote advancing to the right, looking back up at the god; to the left, at Dionysos’ right foot, a smaller Erote standing facing, head turned to the left; above Dionysos’ upper right thigh, a third, smaller Erote appearing facing between his right hip and the thyrsos, waving with his right hand. RPC IV.2 online -, cf. IV.2 online 25158 (for a unique piece with this reverse type for Marcus Aurelius) and V.2 online ID 1288 (similar reverse type for Diadumenian). Unpublished and unique, and the finest known representation of this wonderful statuary group. A beautiful coin with lovely earthen highlights, and of great art-historical importance. About very fine.



Founded by the Macedonian general Dokimos at the end of the 4th century BC, as reflected in the proud ethnic title ΔΟΚΙΜΕΩΝ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΩΝ, Dokimeion was particularly famous for its marble quarries, which produced the striking white-violet pavonazzetto marble – highly prized throughout antiquity. This marble was used in some of the most famous buildings of the ancient world, including the Pantheon, the Forum of Trajan, the Forum of Augustus, the Baths of Caracalla, the Hagia Sophia, and many others.

Drawing on this rich resource, the city developed a thriving school of sculpture, known especially for its elaborately decorated funerary reliefs and intricately crafted sarcophagi, gaining supraregional renown. Within this artistic tradition, the exceptionally detailed depiction of Dionysos with three Erotes on the reverse of this coin likely represents a now-lost, probably Hellenistic statuary group, most likely originating from the renowned sculptural school of Dokimeion. The outstanding craftsmanship of this group was so highly regarded that the citizens of the city proudly featured it on their coins during Roman times. This coin thus provides the best-preserved representation of the presumed Dionysos group, offering invaluable insight into its composition and appearance and making it a key artifact of great art-historical significance.