Gratian, 367-383. AE (Bronze, 14 mm, 0.91 g, 12 h), Festival of Isis emission, Rome, circa 367-378. D N GRATIA-NVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Gratian to right. Rev. VOTA P-VBLICA Harpocrates standing front, head to left, raising his right hand to his mouth and holding cornucopiae in his left. Alföldi -. Cohen -. Apparently unpublished. A beautiful piece with a very attractive green patina. Light deposits and with minor spots of corrosion, otherwise, good very fine.



This charming piece belongs to a larger group of coins related to the Ploiaphesia or Navigium Isidis, a festival held on 5 March in honor of Isis, the great patroness of sailors, which coincided with the opening of the shipping season in early spring. Despite the rise of Christianity in the 4th century, the festival remained in vogue, and the related coins show a rich variety of designs connected to Egypt such as Isis herself, Serapis, Anubis, Nilus or, as on our coin, Harpokrates. Indeed, these fascinating pieces are some of the last truly pagan coins struck by the Romans, although it has been theorized that the festival lived on as Christian Carnival. Most of the coins show either Isis or Serapis on the obverse, but some extremely rare pieces such as ours do actually portray the Roman emperor.