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ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WEIGHT
Authority
Claudius Aelius Pollio, governor (Pontus-Bithynia) ; Elagabalus, Roman Emperor ; Pactumeius Volosos, agoranomos (Nicomedia)
Mint
Nicomedia
Denomination
1/2 Libra = 1/2 Litra
Material
Lead
Manufacture
Cast
Shape
Polygon (pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, etc.)
Length
10.00 cm
Width
9.80 cm
Height
- cm
Metrology
Mass (g) Mass (grain) Date of measurement Reference fragmented cleaned reference weight
267.91 - - Auction Leu 2020 No No Yes
Iconography
Symbol Technique Direction Position Number Synecdoche
Wear
Corrosion
Handle
No
Suspension hole
No
Recarved mould
No
Recarved weight
No
Intentionally destroyed
No
Archaeological description
Haensch 2022: Poids en plomb hexagonal avec des bords surélevés des deux côtés et des champs d’inscription en retrait, délimités par une barre. Une fissure passe du centre du quartier supérieur jusqu´au quartier inférieur. Cela donne l’impression que le poids n’est pas plat, mais décalé vers le haut à la Face B (et donc pressé sur la Face A dans la partie inférieure). Le poids est mal conservé au centre du troisième quartier. Hauteur : 9,8 cm ; largeur maximale : 10 cm ; hauteur des lettres : 0,6 cm. Poids : 267,91 g. Perforation. Sigma angulaire des côtés A et B. Plusieurs ligatures : voir plus bas. Pas de timbres de contrôle. Propriété privée.
Auction Leu 2020: Bithynia, Nicomedia. Elagabalus, 218-222. Weight of 1/2 Libra (Lead, 98x100 mm, 267.91 g, 12 h), Claudius Aelius Pollio, legatus pro praetore of Pontus and Bithynia, and the agoranomos of the city, Pactumeius Volosus. RY 4 and TR POT III COS III of Elagabalus = 23 September-9 December 220. ΕΤΟΥC Δ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑ/TΟΡΟC ΚΑΙCΑΡΟC Μ / AYΡ ΑΝΤⲰΝEΙΝ૪ ΕΥC/ΕΒ૪ ΕΥΤΥΧ૪C CΕΒΑC/Τ૪ APXIEPEⲰC MEΓIC/T૪ Δ[HMAPXI]KHC EZ૪CI/AC TO Γ YΠAT૪ TO Γ A/ΓOPANOM૪NTOC Π/AKT૪MHI૪ BOΛOC/૪ EIMIΛEITPIN. Rev. ΥΠΑΤΕΥΟΝΤΟC / ΤΗC ΕΠΑΡΧΕΙΑC / T૪ ΛAMΠPOTΑΤ૪ Y/ΠATIKOY KΛAYΔI/OY AIΛIOY ΠΟΛΛIⲰN/OC ΠPECB[EYT]OY KA[I] / ANTICTP[AT]HΓ[૪] Γ / T૪ CEBACTO૪ / EIMIΛEITPIN / AΓOPAION ... Unpublished and of great historical importance. A carefully produced and unusually complete weight. Large flan crack, otherwise, very fine.
Öztürk 2021: The weight is catalogued as number 2006 in the catalogue of Action Leu Numismatik. This weight, dating to the second regnal year of Elagabalus, could be from Sakarya or Kocaeli. From the inscription on side B, we learn that a new governor named Claudius Aelius Pollio, whom we know from Cassius Dio, was a centurio who arrested Diadumenian in Zeugma 218.
Autopsy
No
INSCRIPTION
Language Technique Legend type
Greek Relief Authority, Date, Denomination
Fac simile
Edition
Haensch 2022: Ἔτους δ´ αὐτοκρά|τορος Καίσαρος Μ̣(άρκου)| Αὐρ(ηλίου) Ἀντωνείνου Εὐσ|εβοῦς Εὐτυχοῦς Σεβασ|τοῦ ἀρχιερέως μεγίστ|ου δ̣η̣μ̣[αρχι]κ̣ῆς ἐξουσί|ας τὸ γ´ ὑ̣π̣ά̣του τὸ γ´ ἀ|γορ̣ανο̣μοῦντος Π|ακτουμ̣η̣ίου Βολόσ|ου εἱμίλειτριν. || Ὑπατεύοντος | τῆς ἐπα̣ρχείας | το̣ῦ λαμπ̣ρο̣τά̣ του ὑ|πατικοῦ Τ̣ι(̣ βερίου) Κ̣λ̣α̣υδί|ου Αἰλίου Πο̣λ̣λίων|ος πρε̣σβε[υτ]ο̣ῦ κα̣[ὶ̣] | ἀντιστρ[ατ]η̣γ̣ο̣[ῦ] | τοῦ Σεβασ̣τ̣οῦ | εἱμίλε[ι]τριν | ἀγοραῖον. (?)

Ἔτους δ̣´ Αὐτοκρά|τορος Καίσαρος Μ̣(άρκου) | Αὐρ(ηλίου) Ἀντωνείνου Εὐσ|εβοῦς Εὐτυχοῦς Σεβασ|τοῦ ἀρχιερέως μεγίστ|ου [δημαρχι]κ̣ῆς ἐξ̣ουσί|ας τὸ γ̣´ ὑ̣π̣ά̣του τὸ γ´, ἀ|γορ̣ανο̣μοῦντος Π|ακτουμη̣ίου Βολόσ|ου εἱμίλειτριν. || Ὑπατεύοντος | τῆς ἐπα̣ρχ̣είας | το̣ῦ̣ λαμπ̣ρ̣ο̣τ̣άτου ὑ|πατικοῦ . Κ̣λ̣αυδί|ου Αἰλίου Πο̣λ̣λίων|ος πρεσβευ̣τ̣ο̣ῦ καὶ̣ | ἀντιστρα̣τ̣η̣γ̣ο̣ῦ | τοῦ Σεβασ̣τ̣οῦ | εἱμίλε[ι]τρι̣ν | ἀγοραῖ–ον.
Monogram
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Findspot (region)
Findspot (site)
context
CIRCUMSTANCES OF ACQUISITION
Region
City
Date of first acquisition
Oct. 23, 2020
circumstances
Antiquities trade.
DATING OF THE WEIGHT
Curatorial Section
GREEK , ROMAN
Time frame
FROM 220 TO 221
Comments on Chronology
23.9 - 9.12.220 (trib. potest. III, cos. III).
Haensch 2022: La combinaison de la quatrième année impériale mentionnée (dans la province de Pontus et Bithynia), de la troisième potestas tribunicia, et du troisième consulat, conduit à la dater de la période du 23 septembre au 9 décembre 220.
COLLECTION HISTORY
Collection
Name Date of acquisition Inventory number
Antiquities Trade Oct. 23, 2020 None
Bibliography
Reference Page/Column Reference (number) Plate / Figure Comment
Auction Leu 2020d 270–273 2006 fig. 2006 None
Öztürk et al. 2021 304–305 2A None None
Haensch 2022 265–271 25 None None
VARIA
Additional comment
Auction Leu 2020: The legate Claudius Aelius Pollio is a very interesting figure: we know from Cassius Dio that he was a simple centurio who rose to fame by arresting Diadumenian in Zeugma in 218, thus preventing the escape of Macrinus' son to the Parthians (Cass. Dio 79.40). This act of loyalty to the Severan dynasty greatly accelerated Pollio's career, as he was, to the great indignation of the senatorial historian Dio, raised to senatorial rank in reward and even appointed governor of Pontus-Bithynia and Germania Superior ('As for Avitus [i.e. Elagabalus], he appointed Pollio to govern . . . Germany . . since Pollio had very . . .ly subdued Bithynia' (Cass. Dio 80.3)). Pollio's stellar ascent was one of many controversial measures used by contemporary historians to discredit the dissolute rule of Elagabalus and his entourage; Herodian, undoubtedly having Pollio in mind, even claims that the emperor appointed slaves and freedman to proconsular provincial governors (Herod. 5.7.8), for which there is no evidence. In any case, it was long believed that the social climber served as governor of Pontus and Bithynia early in Elagabalus' reign, but our weight, which is dated to 23 September-9 December 220 (the Bithynian year starts on 23 September), shows that this was not necessarily the case. The ending of his governorship must thus be moved to late 220/1, while his tenure as legate of Germania Superior, which is confirmed by the finding of an honorary inscription in Mogontiacum (CIL XIII 6807), can now be dated to 221/222.
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