EGYPT. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138. Dichalkon (Bronze, 16 mm, 2.76 g, 12 h), Arsinoite nome, RY 11 = 126/7. Laureate head of Hadrian to right, with slight drapery on his left shoulder. Rev. L IA - APC Crocodile to right, wearing sun disk. Dattari (Savio) 6212. Emmett 1291.11. K&G N6.7. RPC III online 6297.45 (this coin). A beautiful piece with very attractive earthen highlights. Some cleaning scratches, otherwise, good very fine.


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. The reverse of Hadrian’s dichalka (probably for the emperor's decennalia) identifies each respective nome through the legend and shows a symbol connected with the local cult.

This coin was struck for the Arsinoites, so named by Ptolemy II for his wife and sister Arsinoe II, although the region is better known as the Fayoum today. Ancient life in the Fayoum is particularly well-known thanks to the large finds of papyri, many of which came from crocodile mummies. These were the sacred animals of the Egyptian god Sobek, who was venerated throughout the nome, and as such, it comes as no surprise to find one on our coin. Sobek himself was worshipped in the Fayoum as a creator god, but more generally, he was also a fertility god. During the Ptolemaic period, a Roman senator is known to have made a sightseeing trip in the area, including a visit to crocodile temple in the nome capital in order watch the sacred animals being fed as a sort of tourist attraction (P. Tebt. 1 33).