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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |Roman Mints| ▸ |Cyzicus||View Options:  |  |  |   

Cyzicus, Mysia (Kapu Dagh, Turkey)

Cyzicus was one of the great cities of the ancient world. According to tradition, it was founded by Pelasgians from Thessaly and later received many colonies from Miletus. Like the other Greek cities in Asia, it fell under the rule of the Persia Empire until Alexander the Great captured it in 334 B.C. In 74 B.C. the city, allied with Rome, withstood a siege by 300,000 men led by King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Rome rewarded this loyalty with territory and with municipal independence which lasted until the reign of Tiberius. When it was incorporated into the Empire, Cyzicus was made the capital of Mysia, and afterwards of Hellespontus. Dates of operation: The Cyzicus mint was opened by Gallienus (253 - 268 A.D.) and continued to strike coins well into the Byzantine era. Mintmarks: C, CM, CVZ (sometimes with the Z reversed), CVZIC, K, KVZ, MC, MK, MKV, SMK.

Probus, Summer 276 - September 282 A.D.

|Probus|, |Probus,| |Summer| |276| |-| |September| |282| |A.D.||antoninianus|
Adventus reverse types commemorate the emperor's arrival at Rome, either at the commencement of his reign or on his return from a distance. They may also refer to his arrival in some other city or province of the empire. At their accession, emperors were not conveyed in a chariot nor in any other vehicle, but went on horseback or on foot when they made their first public entry into the capital of the Roman world.
SH65426. Billon antoninianus, RIC V-2 904G (S); Cohen VI 69; Pink VI-1, p. 43; Hunter IV 311 var. (A in ex); cf. SRCV III 11195 (Rome mint, etc.), Choice EF, nice patina, weight 4.002 g, maximum diameter 22.7 mm, die axis 0o, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 2nd emission, end 276 - beginning 277 A.D.; obverse VIRTVS PROBI AVG (the valor of Emperor Probus), radiate, helmeted, and cuirassed bust left, spear in right hand over right shoulder, oval shield decorated with charging horseman on left arm; reverse ADVENTVS PROBI AVG (the arrival of Emperor Probus), Probus on horseback left, raising right hand in salute, long scepter in left hand, horses' right foreleg raised over bound captive seated left, nothing in exergue; scarce; SOLD


Constantius I, May 305 - 25 July 306 A.D.

|Constantius| |I|, |Constantius| |I,| |May| |305| |-| |25| |July| |306| |A.D.||argenteus|
SH18891. Silver argenteus, RIC VI Cyzicus 4, Choice VF+, weight 3.282 g, maximum diameter 19.5 mm, die axis 0o, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, c. 294 - 295 A.D.; obverse CONSTANTIVS CAESAR, laureate head right; reverse PROVIDENTIA AVGG (the foresight of the two emperors), the four tetrarchs sacrificing in front of six-turreted enclosure (city or castrum), CM in exergue; full circle strike on both obverse and reverse; rare (RIC R4); SOLD


Diocletian, 20 November 284 - 1 May 305 A.D.

|Diocletian|, |Diocletian,| |20| |November| |284| |-| |1| |May| |305| |A.D.||follis| |(large)|
This is perhaps one of the most unusual issues in the entire follis series. It is nearly always attributed to Treveri (Trier), but a comparison of style and examination of hoards reveals that this issue was not struck in Trier but in Cyzicus. The KS in the field between the two figures is actually the mint mark, not the PTR. A look at the coins of Cyzicus (RIC VI Cyzicus 22-23) shows that the same two officinae (4th and 6th) struck this issue with and without the PTR. The Senior Augustus issues of Diocletian and Maximianus were struck at every mint currently in operation. Apparently, the first coins of this type were prepared at Trier and examples were sent to the various mints for the individual mints to copy. At Cyzicus, the die engravers copied everything, including the Trier mint mark and put their own mint mark in the field. Eventually someone realized the mistake and new dies were prepared with the mint mark replacing PTR in its proper location.

Quies is the personification of rest and retirement. This coin honors the Senior Emperors Diocletian and Maximian after their abdication in 305 A.D. The obverse dedicates the coin, to our lord Maximian the happy senior emperor. The reverse translates, By the providence of the gods, the restful retirement of the Emperors.
SH51541. Billon follis (large), RIC VI Treveri 677a; cf. RIC VI Cyzicus 22 - 23; SRCV IV -, EF, weight 10.854 g, maximum diameter 27.9 mm, die axis 180o, 6th officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 305 - 307 A.D.; obverse D N DIOCLETIANO FELICISSIMO SEN AVG, laureate bust right, wearing imperial mantle, olive branch in right hand, mappa in left hand; reverse PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia on left standing right, extending right hand to Quies, who is standing left with branch in right and leaning on scepter in left, S - F in outer fields, KS bottom center, PTR in exergue; rare; SOLD


Severus II, 25 July 306 - Summer 307 A.D.

|Severus| |II|, |Severus| |II,| |25| |July| |306| |-| |Summer| |307| |A.D.||follis|
In Roman religion, every man has a genius, a presiding spirit. In De Die Natali, Censorinus says, from the moment we are born, we live under the guard and tutelage of Genius. Cities, organizations, and peoples also had a genius. On coins, we find inscriptions to the Genius of the Roman people, of the Senate, of the Emperor, etc. This coin is dedicated "to the Genius (guardian spirits) of our emperors and caesars."
RT49914. Billon follis, RIC VI Cyzicus 20a, SRCV IV 14629, Cohen VII 18, Choice EF, full circles strike, most silvering remains, weight 10.915 g, maximum diameter 28.3 mm, die axis 180o, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, as caesar, 1 May 305 - 25 Jul 306 A.D.; obverse FL VAL SEVERVS NOB CAES, laureate head right; reverse GENIO AVGG ET CAESARVM NN (to the guardian spirits of our emperors and caesars), Genius standing slightly left, head left, nude but for chlamys over shoulders and left arm, kalathos on head, pouring libations from patera in right hand, cornucopia in left hand, KA in exergue; rare; SOLD


Maximian, 286 - 305, 306 - 308, and 310 A.D.

|Maximian|, |Maximian,| |286| |-| |305,| |306| |-| |308,| |and| |310| |A.D.||follis| |(large)|
Quies is the personification of rest and retirement. This coin honors the Senior Emperors Diocletian and Maximian after their abdication in 305 A.D. The obverse dedicates the coin, to our lord Maximian the happy senior emperor. The reverse translates, By the providence of the gods, the restful retirement of the Emperors.
SH51542. Billon follis (large), RIC VI Cyzicus p. 582, 23b; SRCV IV 13412; Cohen VI 489/493; Hunter V -, Choice gVF, well centered and struck, some silvering, weight 11.442 g, maximum diameter 28.1 mm, die axis 0o, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 305 - 307 A.D.; obverse D N MAXIMIANO FELICISSIMO SEN AVG, laureate bust right, wearing imperial mantle, olive branch in right hand, mappa in left hand; reverse PROVIDENTIA DEORVM QVIES AVGG, Providentia on left standing right, extending right hand to Quies, who is standing left with branch in right and leaning on scepter in left, S - F across fields, KΔ in exergue; scarce; SOLD


St. Helena, Augusta, 8 November 324 - c. 330 A.D., Mother of Constantine the Great

|Helena|, |St.| |Helena,| |Augusta,| |8| |November| |324| |-| |c.| |330| |A.D.,| |Mother| |of| |Constantine| |the| |Great||centenionalis|
On 20 May 325, Constantine I summoned an ecumenical council of bishops in Nicaea (the First Council of Nicaea). The Nicene Creed declares that the members of the Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) are equal. The council also decided that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the 21st of March.
RL63757. Billon centenionalis, RIC VII Cyzicus p. 647, 28 (R5); LRBC I 1169; SRCV IV 16623; Cohen VII 12; Hunter V p. 257, 12 var. (1st officina), EF, well centered, some silvering remains, weight 3.085 g, maximum diameter 17.7 mm, die axis 135o, 2nd officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 324 - 325 A.D.; obverse FL HELENA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust right; reverse SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE (security of the Republic), Securitas standing half left, branch pointed down in right, raising pallium with left, SMKB in exergue; rare; SOLD


Galeria Valeria, Augusta, June 293(?) - 311 A.D., Second Wife of Galerius

|Galeria| |Valeria|, |Galeria| |Valeria,| |Augusta,| |June| |293(?)| |-| |311| |A.D.,| |Second| |Wife| |of| |Galerius||follis|
The coins of Galeria from the mint of Cyzikus were all struck in the 4th officina which is indicated by Δ (the Greek numeral 4) in the left field. In these years, the mint issued three groups: the first without a control mark, the second with a star in the right field, and the third with three dots in the right field. But our coin has only one dot. A RIC VI footnote records a similarly marked Licinius from the first officina in the Oxford collection and states it is probably a mint error. Perhaps it was not an error. Perhaps the mint started its third group, marking it with only one dot, then quickly switched to the more distinctive three dots.
RB07643. Billon follis, RIC VI Cyzicus p. 590, (C) 71 var. (3 pellets arranged vertically in right field); Hunter V p. 74, 21 var. (same); SRCV IV 14598 var. (same), gVF, well centered, traces of silvering, flow lines, some porosity, Venus' head flatly struck, weight 7.27 g, maximum diameter 27.0 mm, die axis 180o, 4th officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, c. 311 A.D.; obverse GAL VALERIA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane, hair in looped plait on neck and up back of head; reverse VENERI VICTRICI (to victorious Venus), Venus standing left, raising apple in right hand, raising drapery over shoulder with left hand, Δ in left field, • in right field, MKV in exergue; from the Scott Collection; very rare variation; SOLD


Julian II "the Apostate," February 360 - 26 June 363 A.D.

|Julian| |II|, |Julian| |II| |"the| |Apostate,"| |February| |360| |-| |26| |June| |363| |A.D.||centenionialis|
Cyzicus was one of the great cities of the ancient world. In 74 B.C. allied with Rome, it withstood a siege by 300,000 men led by King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Rome rewarded this loyalty with territory and with municipal independence which lasted until the reign of Tiberius. When it was incorporated into the Empire, Cyzicus was made the capital of Mysia, and afterward of Hellespontus. Gallienus opened an imperial mint at Cyzicus, which continued to strike coins well into the Byzantine era.
RL71414. Bronze centenionialis, RIC VIII Cyzicus 129, VF, excellent centering, porous, weight 2.039 g, maximum diameter 21.3 mm, die axis 0o, 3rd officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 361 - 363 A.D.; obverse D N FL CL IVLIANVS P F AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield; reverse VOT / X / MVLT / XX in four lines within wreath, CVZICΓ in exergue; rare; SOLD


Constans, 9 September 337 - 19 January 350 A.D.

|Constans|, |Constans,| |9| |September| |337| |-| |19| |January| |350| |A.D.||quarter| |maiorina|
The Roman poet Ovid tells the story of the Phoenix: 'Most beings spring from other individuals; but there is a certain kind which reproduces itself. The Assyrians call it the Phoenix. It does not live on fruit or flowers, but on frankincense and odoriferous gums. When it has lived five hundred years, it builds itself a nest in the branches of an oak, or on the top of a palm tree. In this it collects cinnamon and spikenard, and myrrh, and of these materials builds a pile on which it deposits itself, and dying, breathes out its last breath amidst odors. From the body of the parent bird, a young Phoenix issues forth, destined to live as long a life as its predecessor. When this has grown up and gained sufficient strength, it lifts its nest from the tree (its own cradle and its parent's sepulcher), and carries it to the city of Heliopolis in Egypt, and deposits it in the temple of the Sun.'
RL71446. Billon quarter maiorina, RIC VIII Cyzicus 88 (R), LRBC II 2482, SRCV V 18721, Cohen VII 22, Voetter -, Hunter V -, Choice VF, weight 3.113 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 225o, 3rd officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 348 - 350 A.D.; obverse D N CONSTA-NS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse FEL TEMP REPARATIO (happy times restored), radiate Phoenix standing right on celestial globe, star right, SMKΓ in exergue; rare; SOLD


Theodosius II, 10 January 402 - 28 July 450 A.D.

|Theodosius| |II|, |Theodosius| |II,| |10| |January| |402| |-| |28| |July| |450| |A.D.||half| |centenionalis|
In Spring 429, the Vandals invaded North Africa. In 427, under the influence of his rival general Aëtius, the Valentinian III's mother Galla Placidia had convicted the Roman governor and general Bonifacius of treason. Rather than surrender for execution, Bonifacius revolted and requested support from Vandal mercenaries in Hispania. Bonifacius made peace with Galla Placidia, but it was too late. King Genseric and the entire Vandal kingdom migrated en masse into Africa and took it with a force of 80,000 men. The Vandals would rule North Africa until the Eastern Romans (Byzantines) recaptured it in 534.
RL76330. Bronze half centenionalis, DOCLR 336 (also 2nd officina), RIC X Theodosius II 449 (also this obverse legend break), LRBC II 2604, SRCV V 21234, VF, well centered, green patina, bare copper high-points, weight 1.154 g, maximum diameter 12.7 mm, die axis 0o, 2nd officina, Cyzicus (Kapu Dagh, Turkey) mint, 425 - 435 A.D.; obverse D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; reverse cross in wreath, SMKB in exergue; SOLD




  




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REFERENCES

Bastien, P. "Coins with a Double Effigy Issued by Licinius at Nicomedia, Cyzicus, and Antioch" in NC 1973.


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