PB Roman provincial conical seal (AD 2nd-3rd centuries)
Obv: Helios standing facing in spread quadriga, raising right hand in salute, holding globe in left.
Rev: Conical surface.
Sun-worship became particularly important in the Roman Empire in the first and second centuries AD with the spread of the worship of Mithras. The creed was foster by emperors for political reasons: the sun was the royal planet par excellence, Helios Aniketos or Sol Invictus, the cosmocrator or pantocrator, represented on many Roman coins of the period. The Roman monetary type was similar to that found on this very rare seal and was used specially under the Antonines and by Caracalla who was particularly devoted to the cult of Sol Invictus. The four horses of the quadriga represented fire, water, earth, and air, the four elements of the universe which were governed by the Sun-god, the cosmocrator.
Weight: 4.58 g.
Diameter: 16.77 mm.