Folia archeologica 10.

L. Barkóczi - A. Kerényi: Bronze medaillons of Thracian issue from Brigetio

86 L. Barkóc^i—A. Kerényi no currencies, but coins struck for special purposes distributed by the Emperor on the occasion of festivals.

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9 This fact is valid to our colonial medallions as well. They were also festive issues distributed by the Emperor. Therefore we always see the portrait of the ruling Emperor on the averse, while on the reverse those festive events are commemorated wihch gave occasion to the stricking of these medallions. Regarding the reverse illustrations the medallions in question can be classified into three groups: 1. those representing on the reverse the Emperor victorious over the enemy on a triumphal chariot or on horseback (Pl. XII, 4, Pl. XIII, 3, and Pl. XIV, 2,5); 2. those representing the scenes of the local cults (Pl. XII, 1—3,5, Pl. XIII, 1,5—6, and Pl. XIV, 3—4), 3. pieces showing several mithological scenes (Pl. XIII, 2, 4, Pl. XIV, 1). As our medallions were almost exclusively coined at Perinthus and Philippopolis,

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0 let us look at the situation of both cities at the time of our medallions. Perinthus

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1 possessed a special significance as the seat of the governor. She was vswxópo; already under Septinus Severus, i. e. she was entitled to build a temple for the provincial cult of the Emperor. In connection with the vEwjcopia she also arranged festival plays, iyőv-s. She obtained a second vscdxópia as well under Septimius Severus, as it is shown by the coins issued by the city in this time. Their inscription reads ilep'.vtKwv Si; vscoaósuv

. As the town is simply called vju/.opo; on the inscription of Statilius Barbatus dating from a little later time, we may suppose that the double distinction was allotted her only transitionally during the visit and celebration of Septimius Severus. The denomination Si; vswxópo; reappears on the coins issued under Elagabalus and Severus Alexander. This double vsw.opia is not only represented in the inscription of the coins, but also on the reverses of some of our medallions (Pl. XII, nos. 1—3), where the goddess of the city holds in either hand a temple. It also occurs that the city is named simply vswxópo; on the coins under Severus Alexander, this being probably the consequence of the damnatio memoriae decreed against Elagabalus.

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2 Philippopolis

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3 has been the single Greek city in Thracia which struck coins with Latin inscriptions to the time of Hadrianus. After him the coins bear Greek inscriptions here too. Thus in the time of our medallions coins bearing Greek inscriptions were only struck. Philippopolis was the most significant city of Thracia. The provincial assemblies were gathered here, this accounts for the inscription xotvöv Wpaxűv on her coins. Naturally the chief duty of the city magistrate was the service of the provincial cult of the Emperor. Philippopolis, as the centre of this imperial cult, naturally possessed temples devoted to Rome and to the Emperor. The city as the 4

9 Kenner

, F., op. cit. pp. 4—7. — Seeck, O., Zu den Festmünzen Constantins und seiner Familie. ZN 21 (1898) pp. 17—65. — Bernhardt, M., Handbuch zur Münzkunde der römischen Kaiserzeit. (Halle, 1926) pp. 26—27. 6

0 The two latter specimens of the medallions described are Caracalla's issues of Byzantion. 5

1 Here we were relying chiefly on the work of Stein, A., Römische Reichsbeamte der Provinz Thracia. (Sarajevo, 1920). « Gaebler, H., ZN 24 (1903) pp. 259—279. — Schrötter, Wörterbuch, p. 456. — PW VIII Sp. 2059 ff. 6

3 Stein A., op. cit. 101 ff.