SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Emesa. Uranius Antoninus. Usurper, AD 253-254. BI Tetradrachm (26mm, 9.58 g, 12h). VF.

Triton XXIX – Session 5
Lot: 5592. Estimated: $ 750

Roman Provincial, Billon

Sold For $ 5 500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Emesa. Uranius Antoninus. Usurper, AD 253-254. BI Tetradrachm (26mm, 9.58 g, 12h). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Eagle standing facing on ground line, head and tail right, with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak; S C in exergue. Baldus –; RPC IX 1876; Prieur 1030; Nurpetlian, Orontes 49. Dark brown patina with luster, smoothing, obverse die break. VF. Very rare, only two listed in RPC.

Uranius Antoninus is unknown from the ancient literary sources, although Zosimus perhaps confuses this usurper with two usurpers he names as Uranius and Antoninus during the reign of Severus Alexander. The little that is known about him comes entirely from his coinage. He came to power in the East in 253 AD during a period of great crisis and upheaval for the Roman Empire. At this time, the Sasanian king Shapur I made many incursions into Roman territory, even capturing the great city of Antioch, apparently just to show that he could: his armies burned and pillaged the communities in their path and took people and plunder back to their own territory. It may be that Uranius Antoninus came to power in order to defend his community from attack rather than out of any anti-Roman antipathy. He issued coins from the mint at Emesa, some of which feature the sacred stone of El-Gabal, which might indicate that Uranius was part of the Emesene royal family of priest-kings. The coins are dated in accordance with the Seleucid dating system, which is reflective of the region’s historical status as part of the Seleucid Empire. As with many usurpers, Uranius Antoninus’ reign did not last long, and he fell from power before Valerian I came eastwards in AD 254.

Closing Date and Time: 21 January 2026 at 13:17:00 ET.



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