★ The Athribite nome ★

EGYPT. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138. Obol (Bronze, 20 mm, 5.00 g, 12 h), Athribite nome, RY 11 = 126/7. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹЄΒ Laureate head of Hadrian to right, with slight drapery on his left shoulder. Rev. ΑΘΡΙΒ L IA Chuit standing front, head to left, holding hawk in her right hand. Dattari (Savio) 6215. Emmett 1226.11. K&G N7.4. Kellner, p. 106, pl. 5, 19 = RPC III online 6466.44 ( this coin ). Unusually attractive for the issue. Pierced and with a flan crack, otherwise, very fine.

From the collection of Eric ten Brink, ex Classical Numismatic Group E-Auction 404, 23 August 2017, 404 and previously privately acquired from Münzen & Medaillen AG in 1972.

This coin forms part of the 'nome coinage', struck under several emperors starting from Domitian and ending with Antoninus Pius. The division of Egypt into nomes (smaller districts) had its roots in the pharaonic administration, but continued to be used in the Graeco-Roman period. On the reverse of the obols struck by Hadrian (probably for the emperor's decennalia), the respective nomes are identified through the legend and a local deity is depicted.

This coin was struck for the Athribite nome, located in the Delta. Its nome capital, Athribis, rose to great prominence in the Graeco-Roman period, although its roots went back to the Old Kingdom. The reverse of our coin shows Chuit, which literally means 'Protectress' in Egyptian. This Chuit, sometimes likened to Isis, was the great goddess of Athribis, and was often seen as the wife of Horus-Chentechtai, a solar deity represented on our coin by the small falcon held in Chuit's right hand.