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COELESYRIA, Heliopolis. Valerian I. AD 253-260. Æ (25mm, 13.70 g, 12h). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Three agonistic prize crowns; the center containing two palm fronds, the outer crowns with one. Sawaya 788-810 var. (D111/R– [unlisted rev. die]); RPC X Online 63822. Earthen brown patina, slight porosity. VF.
From the Joseph A. Dow Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 339 (19 November 2014), lot 275.
Although the main Pythian Games were held at Apollo’s sanctuary at Delphi, many other cities throughout the eastern portion of the Roman Empire periodically held smaller versions of this event. Like their Delphic original, these smaller versions included a number of athletic contests, as well as music and poetry competitions. Often such events were associated with other deities, based on the important civic cults of each city. At Heliopolis (modern Baalbek), the site of a massive temple complex dedicated to Jupiter-Zeus-Baal-Hadad, Venus-Aphrodite-Astarte, and Bacchus-Dionysus, these games were known as the certamina sacra Capitolia Oecumenica Iselastica Heliopolitana. Here, celebrations were held in honor of Jupiter-Zeus-Baal-Hadad, not only associating this god with his counterpart at Rome, but also the city with the Empire as a whole. It is possible that these games were held in the presence of Valerian himself while he was in the east preparing for his war against the Sasanians.
Closing Date and Time: 29 July 2026 at 12:57:40 ET.
All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.
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