SYRIA, Cyrrhestica. Hierapolis. Macrinus, 217-218. Tetradrachm (Billon, 25 mm, 13.63 g, 12 h). ΑΥΤ•Κ•Μ•ΟΠЄΛ•CЄ•ΜΑ[ΚΡЄΙΝΟC CЄ] Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Macrinus to right. Rev. ΔΗΜΑΡ[Χ ЄΞ ΥΠΑ]ΤΟC Eagle with spread wings standing facing, head to right and holding wreath in beak; between the eagle's legs, lion walking right. Prieur 943-4 var. (but eagle's head to right). Apparently unpublished with the eagle's head to the left. Somewhat rough, otherwise, very fine.



The tetradrachms Prieur 943 and 944 are from Hierapolis but depict the eagle’s head facing right. Prieur 1202, from Heliopolis, shares the same types as our coin, though its eagle’s head faces left. Despite this, the style of our coin is clearly that of Hierapolis, not Heliopolis, which is known for its more coarse style. In fact, it is likely the work of the same engraver who created the dies for the examples illustrated in Prieur. Therefore, we attribute this coin to Hierapolis.