163, Lot: 193. Estimate $200. Sold for $125. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SYRIA, Decapolis. Abila. Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ 27mm (17.58 g). Dated CY 251 (AD 187/8). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Tyche standing right on half-figure of river god, holding sceptre and flaming altar; to left and right, small figure on base; all within distyle shrine. Spijkerman 12. Near VF, dark green patina with dusty earthen highlights.

The Decapolis (Ten Cities) was a loose federation of towns on the eastern border of the Roman world. They claimed foundations (or re-foundations) in the Hellenistic period, some from the time of Alexander the Great, but many from the arrival of Pompey in the region in the 60’s BC. Intended to promote Hellenistic culture, regional security and secure trade routes, the federation morphed over time, and as many as nineteen cities at one time or another claimed membership, from Damascus in the north to Petra in the far south. Cities mentioned in connection with the Decapolis include Abila, Adraa, Bostra, Canatha, Capitolias, Charach-Moba, Damascus, Dium, Esbous, Gadara, Gerasa, Hippum, Medaba, Pella, Nysa-Scythopolis, Petra, Philadelphia, Philippopolis and Rabbath-Moba. Geographically the cities were distributed among the various political and administrative subunits of the region, including Syria, Samaria, Judaea, Iturea, Arabia, Palestina Secunda and Palestina Tertia, but formed a cohesive network of relationships along the eastern desert.