Coin of Herennia Etruscilla from Bostra (BOS104)

Coin of Herennia Etruscilla from Bostra (BOS104)

Civic bronze coin from Bostra (249-251 CE), depicting Herennia Etruscilla, wife of the emperor Decius on the obverse

Roman Provincial Coinage Online IX no.2211

Ashmolean Museum (University of Oxford), via Roman Provincial Coinage Online (http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/)

Bronze

BOS0104

Bronze

12.65-13.29g

26-27mm

Arabia

Draped bust of Herennia Etruscilla, wearing a diadem, facing right

Large baetyl flanked by two smaller baetyls sitting on a platform with steps leading up to it; 7 flat stones surmount large baetyl, one each over the smaller baetyls. The entire scene is contained within a wreath.

ERENNIA ETRUSCILLA AUG (Herennia Etruscilla Augusta)

ACTIA DUSARIA COL METR BOSTRENORUM (Actia Dusaria, colonia, Metropolis of the Bostrenes)

Spijkerman (1978: 86-87, no.69) publishes an example in which he identifies a crescent moon near Herennia Etruscilla's shoulders; unfortunately, there is no illustration for that entry.

The 'Actia Dusaria' were games held at Bostra in honor of the Arabian god Dusares (or Dushara) beginning in the mid-third century CE (Bowersock 1983: 121-122), and celebrated on coins under Philip II (247-249 CE; Meshorer et al. 2013: 151, no.54), Decius (RPC IX no.2209).

Roman Provincial Coinage Online IX no.2211 [http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/9/2211/]

American Numismatic Society 1944.100.69311

American Numismatic Society 1961.154.189

Spijkerman, A. 1978. The Coins of the Decapolis and Provincia Arabia. Jerusalem: Franciscan Press. (pp.86-87, no.69)

Bowersock, G.W. 1983. Roman Arabia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.