LYDIA. Saitta. Crispina (AD 178-182). AE medallion (45mm, 50.66 gm, 6h). XF, altered surfaces. Struck under Oct- Artemidorus, First Archon, ca. AD 179-180. •CΕΒΑCΤΗ•-ΚΡΙCΠΙΝΑ, draped bust of Crispina right, seen from front, wearing stephane, hair in waves across brow and bound into a bun at the back / EPI OKT ΑΡ-Τ-ΕΜ-ΙΔΩΡΟΥ ΑΡX A, Mên (on left), standing right, wearing Phrygian cap and hunting dress with crescent moon on shoulders, long grounded spear in left hand, offering a pine coin with his right to Cybele (on right), turreted, seated left, right hand outstretched, left arm resting on a cymbal; CΑΙΤΤΗΝΩΝ in exergue. RPC IV.2, 11125 (temporary). Numismatica Genevensis, Auction V (3 December 2008), lot 256 (same dies, realized 20,000 CHF). Berk 169 (1 June 2010), lot 428. The finest of three examples known. Evidence of altered surfaces, thus ineligible for encapsulation. Saitta, situated in the southern Italian province of Benevento, in the culturally vibrant region of Campania, holds within its history, layers of human endeavors. Born in the fertile domain of the Samnites, an ancient Italic tribe from the mountainous terrain of south-central Italy, Saitta over the centuries, fell into the orbit of the expansive Roman and Byzantine empires. Each passing epoch left indelible imprints on the cityscape, creating a rich mosaic of historical narratives. The town stands today as a silent observer, bearing witness to centuries of human development and interaction, its quietude mirroring epochs of human history, with its stories buried, waiting for discovery in its soil and structure. HID09801242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

To the auctioneer's website