SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Emesa. Uranius Antoninus, usurper, 253-254. AE (Bronze, 31 mm, 18.15 g, 1 h), SE 565 = 253/4. AYTO K COYΛΠ ANTⲰNINOC CЄ Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Uranius Antoninus to right, seen from behind. Rev. ЄMICⲰN - KOΛΩN / ЄΞΦ Baetyl of El-Gabal, decorated with eagle standing facing with wings spread, between two parasols; all within hexastyle temple; in pediment, crescent. Baldus 38-42. BMC 24. R. Delbrueck: Uranius of Emesa, in NC 8 (1948), Series I, 2. Very rare and unusually attractive, a lovely example with clear details. Somewhat rough, otherwise, good very fine.


The reverse of this interesting issue shows the great Temple of El-Gabal in Emesa, the main place of worship for the local ancient god whose high priest was Uranius Antoninus-Sampsigeramos. The name El-Gabal consists of the semitic words 'ilaha' and 'gabal', which translate as 'god' and 'mountain'. Thus, El-Gabal originally was a mountain god, who was worshipped in the form of a baetyl or baitylos (from Aramaic 'bet el' = 'house of the god'), a holy stone which the emperor Elagabalus (218-222) - himself a high priest of El-Gabal - famously had transported to Rome (see below, lots 1647-1648). However, the foreign religion with its exotic practices sparked great outrage in the capital and the baetyl was eventually brought back to Emesa after the assassination of Elagabalus in 222.