EGYPT. Alexandria. Antoninus Pius, 138-161. Drachm (Bronze, 32 mm, 19.00 g, 1 h), Menelaites Nome, RY 8 = 144/5. [ΑΥΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ ΑΝΤⲰΝЄΙΝΟC CЄΒ ЄΥC] Laureate head of Antoninus Pius to right.
Rev. [MЄNЄΛΑΙΤ / L] H Harpokrates with the lower body of a crocodile standing left, wearing skhent crown, raising his right hand to his mouth and holding cornucopiae in his left; to left, altar. Dattari (Savio) 6315. Emmett 1819.8. K&G N31.8. RPC IV.4 online 13971. Fine.
From the Rhakotis Collection, formed in the 1960s and 1970s (with collector’s ticket).
This coin forms part of the 'nome coinage', struck under several emperors starting from Domitian and ending with Antoninus Pius. The division of Egypt into nomes (smaller districts) had its roots in the pharaonic administration, but continued to be used in the Graeco-Roman period. On the reverse of the bronze drachms struck under Antoninus Pius, the respective nomes are identified through the legend and a local deity is depicted. This coin was struck for the Menelaites, so named after Menelaos, the brother of Ptolemy I. Harpokrates is conflated with the crocodile god Sobek, which reflects the great abundance of crocodiles living in the Nile Delta. A. Geissen (‘The Nome Coins of Roman Egypt’, in C. Howgego, V. Heuchert & A. Burnett (eds.), Coinage and Identity in the Roman Provinces, Oxford, 2005, p. 167-170) has suggested that the final emission of nome coins in year 8 of Antoninus Pius is most likely linked to the marriage of Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the Younger in the same year.
