CILICIA. Syedra. Marcus Aurelius, 161-180. Tetrassarion (Bronze, 31 mm, 18.22 g, 6 h). ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ Μ ΑΥΡ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Marcus Aurelius to right, seen from behind.
Rev. CYЄΔPЄΩN Ares standing facing, head to left, between Dike, on the left and with her head turned to right, holding sword in her right hand, and Hermes, on the right, holding kerykeion in his left . BMC -. RPC IV.3 online 25376. SNG Copenhagen -. SNG Levante -. SNG Paris -. SNG PFPS -. SNG von Aulock -. Ziegler -. Extremely rare, by far the finest known example of this interesting issue. Somewhat smoothed and minor pitting and with very light doubling on the obverse
, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.
From the Geoffrey Cope Collection of Ancient Greek and Roman Bronzes, Numismatica Ars Classica 144, 8 May 2024, 1091, ex Nomos 6, 8 May 2012, 147, and from the 'M' Collection, Gorny & Mosch 134, 11 October 2004, 2069.
The reverse of this extremely rare coin from Syedra, struck under Marcus Aurelius, features a highly unusual trio: Dike (Justice), Ares (the god of war, shown bound), and Hermes (the divine messenger). This type depicts a cult statue group once found at the oracle sanctuary of Klaros in Ionia.
According to tradition, the people of Syedra consulted the oracle at Klaros during a time of severe pirate threats. The oracle instructed them to commission a cult image showing Ares - a symbol of unrestrained violence - bound and placed under the authority of Dike, with Hermes serving as mediator between the forces of war and divine justice.
The scene conveys a clear political and theological message: not brute force, but divinely sanctioned order should determine the city’s fate. The coin thus serves as a medium of civic identity and ideological expression - a powerful testament to Syedra’s ritual and symbolic connection with the oracle of Klaros.
