Ancient Coinage of Syria, Damascus


Syria, Coele-Syria, Damascus


Damascus was renamed Demetrias Sacra during the reign of Demetrios III (97-88 BC) and this name remained until 36 BC when it reverted back to Damaskos.

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CITY AND SEMI-AUTONOMOUS COINAGE
BMC 1
(Demetrias)
Damascus as Demetrias, 97-36 BC, AE22, 9.35 g. Diademed male head right / ΔHMHTΡIEΩN THΣ IEΡAΣ, Tyche seated left on rock, holding cornucopiae, right arm outstretched; river-god below. BMC 1; Hoover HGC, 1458.TextImage
BMC 3
(Demetrias)
Damascus as Demetrias, 97-36 BC, AE22, 8.35 g. Laureate head of Apollo(?) right / ΔHMHTΡIEΩN THΣ IEΡAΣ, Zeus standing left, holding sceptre, all within laurel wreath. BMC 3-5; De Saulcy (Terre Sainte) 4; Hoover HGC, 1460.TextImage
Hoover 1459Damascus as Demetrias, 97-36 BC, AE19, 5.30 g. Turreted head of Tyche right / ΔHMHTΡIEΩN THΣ IEΡAΣ, Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopiae. De Saulcy (Terre Sainte) 5; Hoover HGC, 1459; SNG Munich 1028.TextImage
Hoover 1461Damascus as Demetrias, 97-36 BC, AE16, 2.20 g. Turreted head of Tyche right / ΔHMHTΡIEΩN THΣ IEΡAΣ, Nike walking left, holding wreath and palm branch. De Saulcy (Terre Sainte) 3; Hoover HGC, 1461.TextImage
Lindgren III 1633Syria, Damascus(?) ca 1st Century BC to 1st Century AD. AE 19mm. Diademed head of king right / Turreted & diademed head of Tyche right; N behind, all within wreath. TextImage
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RPC 4781Cleopatra VII (51-30 BC), AE 21mm, Damascus, 37/36 BC. Diademed bust right / ΔAMAΣKHNΩN, Tyche of Damascus seated left on rock, her right arm extended, her left holding cornucopiae, the river-god Chrysoroas swimming at her feet. RPC 4781; Svoronos 1893.TextImage
RPC 4782Syria, Coele-Syria. Damascus. Cleopatra VII. Year 276 (37/36 BC). AE 22mm. Turreted head of Tyche right / Nike advancing right with wreath. TextImage
MARC ANTONY
Lindgren III 1633Antony & Cleopatra AE20 of Damascus, Syria. 37/36 BC. Bearded, diademed head right with features of Antony / ZA, turreted bust of Tyche right, with features of Cleopatra, dotted sceptre, branch before.TextObvRev
CLEOPATRA
RPC 4783Cleopatra VII, AE21 of Damascus, Phoenicia, 33/32 BC, Diademed bust of Cleopatra right, hair in a bun, dotted borderi / ΔAMAΣKHNΩN, Tyche seated left.TextImage
OCTAVIAN
RPC 4786Octavian AE 18mm of Damascus. Bare head right / Tyche seated left on rock, holding cornucopiae, right arm extended; river-god swimming below. Lindgren III 1252.TextImage
AUGUSTUS
RPC 4795Augustus AE 21mm of Damascus. Year 325 (13/14 AD). Bare head (of Tiberius?) right / Turreted head of Tyche right; within wreath. BMC 3.TextImage
TIBERIUS
RPC 4800Tiberius AE 21mm of Damascus. Year 345 (33/34 AD). Veiled female head right (of Livia?) / Stag or whimsical animal standing left; date NMN below. RPC I 4800.TextImage
NERO
RPC 4803Nero, AE23 of Damascus, Syria. AD 54-68. Dated local year 377 (AD 65-66). Laureate head right; lituus before head. / ΔAMAΣKHNΩN ZOT, Tyche seated left on rock with arm outstretched, holding cornucopiae, river god swimming below. RPC 4803; De Saulcy 3; Rosenberger 14; BMC 4-6; SNG Munich 1012.TextImage
COMMODUS
Lindgren III 1256Commodus AE17 of Damascus, Syria. L AVPHLIOC KAI KOMMODOC VII AT, bareheaded, draped bust right / DAMASKHNWN MHTROP, river-god reclining left, holding sistrum and cornucopiae, XPV COPO in ex. Mionnet supp VIII 15v.TextImage
Mionnet 43Commodus AE20 of Damascus, Syria. Bareheaded, draped bust right / DAMACKHNWN MHTROPOLEWC, Tyche, turreted, seated against rocks left, holding fish in right hand and cornucopiae in left, river-god swimming below. Mionnet V, 43.TextImage
SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
Lindgren 2141ASeptimius Severus AE 22mm of Damascus. Laureate and cuirassed bust right / Tyche seated left, holding cornucopiae and small club before her.TextImage
CARACALLA
BMC 14Caracalla AE 24mm of Damascus, Syria. AVTOKPA ANTONINW, laureate & cuirassed bust right / DAMACKOC MHTPOPOLEOC, turreted & draped bust of Tyche left, holding cornucopiae over shoulder. Rosenberger 25; Lindgren III 1258.TextImage
BMC 14vSyria, Coele-Syria. Damascus. Caracalla. AE 23mm. Laureate and cuirassed bust right / Draped and turreted bust of Nike left; cornucopiae at shoulder. SNGCop 424.TextImage
BMC 16-18Caracalla, AE25 of Damascus, Syria. AYT KAI AYΓOYC ANTΩNEINOC, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / ΔAMACKOY MHTΡOΠOΛEOC, Tetrastyle shrine, with arched lintel and domed roof, containing turreted bust of Astarte left. BMC 16-18; De Saulcy 3; Rosenberger 26; Price & Trell 700.TextImage
SGI 2661Caracalla AR Tetradrachm of Damascus, Syria. Dated COS IIII = 215-217 AD. AVT K M A ANTΩNEINOC CEB, laureate head right / ΔHMAΡX EΞ YΠATOC TO Δ, eagle standing facing, wings open, head left with wreath in beak, ram's head left between legs. Bellinger 219, Prieur 1204. TextImage
Mionnet 21Caracalla, AE of Damascus, Syria. AVTOK A(NTONINOC), laureate, draped bust right / (ΔAMACKOY MHTΡOΠ KOΛONI around) CEBA-CMAI in two lines within civic wreath. Mionnet S8 21; Gessner 66.TextImage
PHILIP I
Mionnet Supp VIII, 33Philip I and II, AE30 of Damascus, Syria. AD 244-249. 16.09 g. Olympia Sebasmia Games issue. IMPP DD NN PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip I right facing radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Philip II left. / COM DAMAS METROPO around CEBA-CMIA in two lines within wreath with large central jewel inscribed IERA, ram's head right below. Mionnet Supp. VIII, 33; De Saulcy ("Terre Sainte") 1.TextImage
Mionnet V 63Philip I AE 28mm of Damascus, Syria. IMP C IVL PHILIPPVS PIO FEL AVG, laureate & cuirassed bust left / COL DAMA METRO, hind standing right, suckling Telephos. Mionnet V, 63TextImage
SNG Cop 425Philip I AE 25mm of Damascus, Syria. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left / Ram standing right. BMC 23.TextImage
OTACILIA SEVERA
BMC 25Otacilia Severa, AE29 of Damascus, Syria. 244-249 AD. M OTACI SEVERA AVG, Draped bust right on crescent, wearing stephane / COL DAMA METR, She-wolf standing right, suckling twins before a vexillum inscribed LEG VI F; head of ram right below. Rosenberger 41; BMC 25; Mionnet V, 70.TextImage
De Saulcy 8 (1)Otacilia Severa, AE28 of Damascus, Syria. AD 244-249. 14 g. M OTAC SEVERA AVG, draped bust right on crescent, wearing stephane. / COL DAMAS METRO around CEBA CMIA in two lines within wreath with large jewel above inscribed IEΡA, ram's head right below. De Saulcy 8; Mionnet V, 75; Paris 87..TextImage
Lindgren I, 2149Otacilia Severa, Philip I and Philip II. AE31 (4 Assaria) of Damascus, Syria. 14.69 g. M OTAC SEVERA AVG, diademed and draped bust right, ram's head right below. / IMPP DD NN PHILILPPIS AV-GG (sic), laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip I right, facing radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip II left. Lindgren I 2149.TextImage
Mionnet 36Otacilia Severa AE29 of Damascus, Syria, M OTAC SEVERA AVG, diademed & draped bust right / COL DAMA ME TRO, tetrastyle temple within which is a female bust; outside the temple, on each side, a female with hands raised and above them on each side, a small building with several columns, seen from the side. Mionnet V, 36; Sestini 19.TextImage
Rosenberger 42Otacilia Severa, AE29 of Damascus, Syria. AD 244-249. 14.21 g. M OTAC SEVERA AVG, draped bust right on crescent, wearing stephane. / COL DAMASO METROPL (sic) around CEB-A CMI-A in three lines within wreath with large jewel above inscribed IEΡA, ram's head right below. Rosenberger 42; Israel Museum 4285.TextImage
Sear GIC 3980Otacilia Severa, Philip I and II, AE30.5 Tetrassaria of Damascus, Syria. 14,69g. M OTAC SEVERA AVG, diademed and draped bust right on crescent, ram's head right below / IMPP DD NN PHILILPPIS AVGG (sic !), laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right of Philip I facing radiate, draped and cuirassed bust left of Philip II. Sear GIC 3980; cf. Lindgren & Kovacs, 2149 (same reverse die).TextImage
PHILIP II
Lindgren 2150Philip II AE 25mm of Damascus. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Marsyas standing right, holding wine skin and right arm outstretched; cyprus tree before.TextImage
TREBONIANUS GALLUS
BMC 29Trebonianus Gallus, AE25 of Damascus, Syria. AD 251-253. 9.63 g. IMP C VIB TREB GALLO AVG, laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder. / COM DAMAS METR, doe standing right, suckling an infant. Ram leaping right below, head turned back. BMC 29; Mionnet V, 81; De Saulcy ("Terre Sainte") 7 note; Rosenberger 56.TextImage
Mionnet V, 87Trebonianus Gallus, AE26 of Damascus, Syria. AD 251-253. Olympia Sebasmia Games issue. 12.21 g. IMP C VIB TREB GALLO AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. / COM DAMAS METROPO around CEBA-CMIA in two lines within wreath with large central jewel inscribed IERA, rams head right below. Mionnet V, 87; Klose & Stumpf ("Sport, Spiele, Siege") 269; De Saulcy ("Terre Sainte") 2; cf BMC 31.TextImage
VOLUSIAN
Rosenberger 59Volusian AE23 of Damascus, Syria. AD 251-253. 8.91 g. IMP GALLO VOLOSSIANO AVG, laureate head right with slight drapery on left shoulder. / COL DAMAS METR-O, deer standing right, suckling the infant Telephos. RPC IX online 1968; Rosenberger 59; SNG Hunterian 3461; Lindgren I, 2153.TextImage
Rouvier 99Volusian AE24 of Damascus, Syria. IMP GALLO VOLOSSIANO AVG, laureate, draped bust right / COL DAMAS METRO, deer standing right, infant Telephos suckling below.TextImage
GALLIENUS
Rosenberger 61Gallienus AE 23mm of Coele-Syria, Damascus. IMP CAES P LIC GALLIENVS N... Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / _DAMASWEWN, Agnostic table surmounted by prize urn.TextImage
SALONINA
SGI 4691Salonina AE22 of Coele-Syria, Damascus. CORNE SANIONA AVG (sic), diademed draped bust right, set on crescent / COL DAMAS METRO, Agonistic crown set on table with three lion-footed legs . Rosenberger 63. TextImage
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Entry for Syria, Damascus on the Digital Historia Numorum
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