Severus Alexander AD 232-235 
AE 35, 19.8g 
obv. AVT(?) KM AVR CEV - ALEXANDROC AV 
bust, draped and cuirassed, seen from behind, radiate, r. 
rev. PERI - NTHIW - N / DIC NEWKO / RWN 
Triptolemos with chlamys behind stg. in biga r., drawn by two winged snakes, joined by yoke 
Schönert pl. 45, 737 (same dies); Varbanov 4072 (same dies) 
Rare; VF, nice green-brown patina 

TRIPTOLEMOS, son of Keleos of Eleusis, is said to get wheat from Demeter with the order to spread
the cultivation of grain over the world. So he is one of the great founders of civilization. In
his snake biga he came to Thracia, where he was killed by Lynkos, who then was transformed into a
lynx. (Ovid Metam. V, 642-661) 

PERINTHOS was called HERACLEA (THRACICA) after the time of Aurelian. 



Contributed by Hans-Joachim, September, 2005.