★ Unpublished ★

PISIDIA. Antioch. Commodus, 177-192. (Bronze, 24 mm, 6.78 g, 6 h), circa 177-180. M AVRELI COMMODVS Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Commodus to right. Rev. ANTIOCHIA COLONI Mên standing facing, head turned to right, left foot resting on bucranium, holding scepter in right hand and Nike in left. Krzyzanowska dies -, but cf. II/3. Cf. RPC IV.3 Online temp. 8649 ( reverse legend and rooster to left of Mên ). SNG BN -. Dark green patina. Very fine.

Mên was a Phrygian lunar deity with roots in both Mesopotamian and Zoroastrian religion. In central and western Asia Minor he was often worshiped in association with the goddess Anahita. At Antioch in Pisidia, which was a Roman colony with legionnaires stationed nearby, there was a large temple complex to Mên Askaenos. The inscriptions in the temple all date to the colonial period, and suggest his cult was highly regarded, similarly to the god Mithras who also had lunar elements to his worship, by the Roman soldiers in the area.