ANTONINIANII FROM THE MINT OF ANTIOCH UNDER THE REIGN OF PHILIP THE ARAB (244-249 AD)

BUST STYLES AND OBVERSE LEGENDS

If there are not so many reverses for the last 3 issues, the diversity of the Antioch types lies in fact in the different bust styles. Indeed, the production of antoninianii under the reign of Philip the Arab was for the engravers of the Syrian mint the occasion to show the extent of their know-how through an exceptionally rich series of bust styles, in terms of quality as well as in quantity. Is the nomination of Priscus -brother of Philip the Arab- governor of Syria the reason of such diversity? Anyway, contrary to the mint of Rome which representeded only one bust style for Philip the Arab and Philip II while Augustus (radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind), it is interesting to detail for the mint of Antioch the existing combinations between the different bust styles and obverse legends used for Philip the Arab and his family.

In order to make the bust style description easier on this website, the following three-character code has been used :
    1st character - A = draped and cuirassed bust, B = cuirassed bust
    2nd character - 1 = bust right, 2 = bust left
    3rd character - 1 = bust seen from front, 2 = bust seen from behind

Then the known bust styles for Philip the Arab and Philip II are the following :

    A11 = radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from front
    A12 = radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
    A21 = radiate, draped and cuirassed bust left, seen from front
    A22 = radiate, draped and cuirassed bust left, seen from behind
    B11 = radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from front
    B21 = radiate and cuirassed bust left, seen from front

NB: of course I will make the distinction below between the coins minted in AD 244 (Unknown Eastern mint) for the accession of Philip the Arab to the imperial throne (see the chapter on the classification by issue), and the Antioch coins minted in AD 247 and AD 249, since these two groups present very different characteristics.

1- Bust styles and obverse legends - Unknown Eastern mint (AD 244)

Philip the Arab	Philip the Arab
A12 - radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind Legend : IMP IVL PHILIPPVS PIVS FEL AVG // P M (under bust)	Same bust style, but legend IMP C M IVL PHILIPPVS P F AVG P M

Otacilia Severa	Otacilia Severa
(with Jim Shaffer's permission)
Diademed and draped bust right, on crescent Legend : MARCIA OTACILIA SEVERA AVG (extremely rare !!!)	Same bust style, but legend MARC OTACI SEVERA AVG

2- Bust styles and obverse legends - Antioch mint (AD 247 & AD 249)

2.1- Busts right, seen from behind

Philip the Arab Philip II	Philip the Arab Philip II
A12 - radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind Legend : IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG (most common bust style on Antioch coins)	Same bust style, but short legend IMP PHILIPPVS AVG

2.2- Busts right, seen from front

Philip the Arab Philip II	Philip the Arab
A11 - Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from front Legend : IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG	B11 - Radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from front Legend : IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG (only used for Philip the Arab)

2.3- Busts left, seen from front

Philip the Arab Philip II	Philip the Arab Philip II
A21 - Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust left, seen from front Legend : IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG	B21 - Radiate and cuirassed bust left, seen from front, piece of drapery on right shoulder Legend : IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG NB : note the aegis (head of Medusa) on cuirass; this characteristic is present only on some busts of Philip II

2.4- Bust left, seen from behind & bust of Otacilia Severa

Philip the Arab Philip II	Otacilia Severa
A22 - Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust left, seen from behind Legend : IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG (very rare, only 1 known die for each emperor)	Diademed and draped bust right, on crescent. Legend : M OTACIL SEVERA AVG

Taking into consideration the number of known specimens, one can notice that among this multitude of bust styles, some are very current (A12 : radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind), while others like the radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from front (B11) for Philip the Arab or the radiate, draped and cuirassed bust left, seen from behind (A22) for Philip II are extremely rare. We can also notice that these rare busts are always associated to the reverses emitted in very large quantity, which lets me think that those bust styles were used only at the end of the longest issues, generally produced by the 1st and the 2nd officinas.

As the same, one can also notice that the short legend IMP PHILIPPVS AVG (systematically associated to a A12 bust style) is only used with the reverses emitted in very large quantity, with which we can find the most bust styles. Therefore, this short legend appears to have been used as a new obverse variation when all the bust styles had already been used.