Ancient Coins, Numismatic Books

Jotapian (248-249), Antoninianus, 249, Nicopolis in Seleucia, radiate and cuirassed bust right, rev. victoria avg, Victory walking left, holding wreath and palm, 3.52g/6h (RIC 2b; Bland, ‘The Coinage of Jotapian’, in Essays Carson & Jenkins, –). Metal somewhat crystallised, otherwise about fine or better and the portrait clear, extremely rare (£1,500-1,800)

Little is known about Jotapian, although it was said that he boasted of a relationship with Severus Alexander. His unusual name is attested in its femine form ‘Jotape’ in the royal houses of Commagene and Emisa. It seems that he led a short-lived revolt in Syria in the autumn of 249 while Philip I was still emperor. The extreme rarity of his coins indicates that the revolt was brief and the crude style of the extant examples indicates that the revolt was geographically confined; only 17 genuine antoninianii struck in his name are cited by Bland, but this die combination was not recorded by him