★ The Legio III Gallica ★

PHOENICIA. Tyre. Caracalla, 198-217. AE (Bronze, 25 mm, 11.18 g, 12 h), circa 214-217. IMP M AVR ANTONINVS Laureate head of Caracalla to right. Rev. SEP TVRVS METRO / COLONI Bull standing right before vexillum inscribed LEG/III/GAL; before, murex shell. AUB 208. BMC 377. A very well struck and unusually attractive example of this interesting issue. Repatinated, otherwise, good very fine.

The city of Tyre suffered greatly from the civil war of 193-194 as it was plundered by the forces of Pescennius Niger after declaring its support for Septimius Severus. When the victorious pretender eventually arrived, he rewarded the Tyrians for their loyalty by rebuilding their city and elevating it to the rank of a Latin colonia named Turus Colonia Septimia Severa Metropolis. Septimius also redeployed the Legio III Gallica to the city, whose heraldic animal, a bull, appears in front of its vexillum on the reverse of this coin.