★ Domitianos Roufos, asiarch, son of a twice-asiarch and the most powerful first archon ★

LYDIA. Sardis. Gallienus, 253-268. Hexassarion (?) (Bronze, 37 mm, 24.57 g, 1 h), Domitianos Roufos, asiarch, son of a twice-asiarch and the most powerful first archon, circa 253-254/260. AYT K Π ΛIK ΓΑΛΛΙΗΝΟC AY Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gallienus to right, seen from behind. Rev. ЄΠΙ ΔΟΜ ΡΟΥΦΟΥ ΑCIAPX Κ ΥIOY B ACIAPX K KPAT APX A Three agonistic urns, each containing palm, on table; below table, amphora and inscription CAP-ΔI/AN-ΩN / ΔIC / NЄΩKOPΩN. BMC -. SNG Copenhagen -. SNG von Aulock 8262. Very rare. Somewhat smoothed and slightly rough, otherwise, very fine.

The reverse inscription of this coin is interesting in two ways: first, the elaborate titles of Domitianos Roufos - asiarch, son of a twice-asiarch and the most powerful first archon - is evidence of the exceptional importance of his family, and secondly, the fact that a later coin naming Domitianos Roufos calls Sardis thrice neokoros shows that the city successfully claimed its third neocorate, which it had lost under Severus Alexander due to the damnatio memoriae of Elagabalus, back under the joint rule of Valerian I and Gallienus.